MOSCOW, April 5 - RAPSI. The Fifth Commercial Court of Appeals confirmed the court decision awarding the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1971 about 29,000 pounds in debts from Kamchatnefteprodukt oil company.

The lawsuit reads that pursuant to an article of the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1971, any entity which received more than 150,000 of dutiable oil within a calendar month must make annual deposits to the fund. If the payment is delayed the fund accrues interest on the deposits amount. The Soviet Union entered into the convention in 1987.

The fund submitted to the Kamchatka Territory Commercial Court lawsuits seeking to recover debt from Kamchatnefteprodukt for the period from 1989 to 2007 taking into account the total amount of oil received and the total number of deposits unpaid in the period. The fund also seeks to recover penalties and interest.

The fund filed three lawsuits for 255,000 pounds and penalties against several companies. The lawsuit against the Kamchatnefteprodukt company contained a claim on recovering the debt worth 45,800 pounds.

However, the Kamchatka Territory Commercial Court ordered to recover the debt for the last three years worth 28,900 pound. The court dismissed the other claims regarding deposits, penalties since the statute of limitations to recover the payments expired.