MOSCOW, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Foreign companies seeking to return to the Russian market must not have been involved in financing Ukraine's armed forces or other Ukrainian formations and must have exited Russia in a responsible manner, a senior finance official said on Wednesday.
Speaking to RIA Novosti, Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev said that the primary requirement for returning companies is compliance with principles outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said that foreign firms should also have left Russia in a "civilized" way, without abandoning their assets. "There are several obvious and understandable criteria that must be met," he said.
Moiseev noted that a regulatory framework for the return of foreign businesses is already in place and that Putin has instructed authorities to simplify procedures for companies that acted in good faith.
Russian authorities have repeatedly stressed that no special privileges or preferences will be granted to Western companies seeking to re-enter the market, and that they must compete on equal terms. ■