Hitting back at Swiss accusations of slowness, and suggestions that the Russian investigators were reluctant to incriminate members of the Yeltsin family, Tamayev said that Russian enquiries were complete, but that the Swiss themselves were being unco-operative:

'In investigating a previous case involving the misappropriation of $180m from the Russian committee for precious metals, I spoke with colleagues from 15 states: the USA, Belgium, Israel, Germany, Austria and others. I especially recall, in a good sense, my interaction with associates of the FBI and the prosecutor's office of America.'

'Comparing this with our cooperation with Switzerland is like comparing day with night. I am embarrassed to say that we still have not been able to find a common language with investigator Daniel Devo and the Geneva prosecutor Bernard Bertossa. I was amazed at the recent interview given by the latter to your journal. It was published under the heading "Intrigues" and that is absolutely correct. That is just what Bertossa's answers appear to amount to . He calmly operates in such terms as "affair" and "bribe." And where is the much-touted Western presumption of innocence?'

Tamayev said that the Swiss should pursue the arrest of former Kremlin manager Pavel Borodin more vigorously if they wanted progress in the case: 'If they really wanted to arrest Borodin, they would have issued a warrant quietly. Then they would have given the instruction to Interpol. And that is all. Borodin has neither diplomatic, nor deputy immunity. But as it is, they are only trying to scare him.' Tamayev said that the Swiss had not even asked the Russian Prosecutor's office to question Borodin on their behalf.

(A year ago, the Swiss found accounts in the names of some of Boris Yeltsin's family, including one belonging to Borodin, and issued an arrest warrant for Borodin alleging that he had been instrumental in the payment of bribes by Russian contractor Mabetex for refurbishment of parts of the Kremlin.)

Tamayev told Kommersant about his questioning of members of Boris Yeltsin's family, which had taken place in the Kremlin on the day before Yeltsin's resignation; he had also ordered an audit of the Kremlin's administrative office, which had not uncovered evidence of inflated contract prices: 'You know, the experts studied the papers for half a year, but did not find anything sensational. And you can draw your own conclusions.'

Tamayev said that he had not yet decided whether to close the case, or to file charges. He was waiting for papers from the Swiss.

Asked the interviewer: 'Is it possible that some new sensational papers will emerge?'

Said Tamayev (he is Russian after all): 'In life, everything is possible.'