Resolution of international commercial disputes: Belarus as a neutral place for dispute resolution

Resolution of international commercial disputes: Belarus as a neutral place for dispute resolution

The American Bar Association's  seventh annual international conference held on 18th September at the Ritz-Carlton, Moscow addressed dispute resolution in the CIS countries as an alternative to protecting the interests of Russian and international companies, looking to, among others, Belarus as an option, given the status quo of the global economic market.

As one of the event's major information partners, the Russian Arbitration Association co-sponsored two sessions on sanctions and their impact on the arbitration, and dispute resolution between Russian and Ukrainian companies.

Should Russia related disputes involving Russian companies as one of the parties be reviewed by arbitration courts in the EU and UK? This was among the questions raised by the session's moderator Roman Zykov, general secretary, Russian Arbitration Association. Similar concerns resonated at the session on the implications of US and EU regimes on dispute resolution for lawyers with clients in Russia. Timur Aitkulov, Board member, Russian Arbitration Association and Partner, Clifford Chance spoke at this session, highlighting Russian court practice in sanctions related disputes.

Looking to Belarus, Alexandre Khrapoutski, Board member, Russian Arbitration Association and Partner, Sysuev, Bondar, Khraputsky suggested it as a neutral place for dispute resolution, while co-moderating the session on the resolution of business disputes between Russian and Ukranian companies. 

Members of the Russian Arbitration Association also spoke at other session. Andrey Zelenin, member of the association and Partner, Head of Dispute resolution, Lidings co-moderated the session on English law, discussing it's choice, giving the current economic situation, as governing law in Russia related transactions. Russian law was viewed as an alternative, particularly, given the recent changes to the Civil Code.

The International Chamber of Commerce, Russia section was the events organizational partner.

The Russian Arbitration Association was founded in April 2013 in Moscow to unite legal practitioners, law firms and academics. The Association represents broad interests of the business, legal and education communities involved in the alternative dispute resolution in Russia and the CIS. www.arbitrations.ru For more information, please feel free to contact nina.anigbogu@arbitrations.ru