MOSCOW, May 14 (RAPSI) - The Moscow Commercial Court has returned a lawsuit against the sale of Alaska filed by an Orthodox public association because the plaintiff failed to pay the required stamp duty, the court told RAPSI on Tuesday.

The Pchyolki association filed the lawsuit against the US government, seeking to reverse the agreement with Russia on the sale of the Alaska Peninsula in the 19th century.

According to the court, the plaintiff failed to enclose a receipt confirming that the fee was paid or indicating that the plaintiff is entitled to an exemption from court fees.

The court also rejected a request to defer the fee payment because the plaintiff did not enclose documents describing its financial status and proving that it cannot afford to pay the fee.

Earlier, the court suspended the claim because the plaintiff failed to enclose the required documents, including the court fee payment document.

Alaska belonged to Russia until 1867. The decision to sell it to America was made at a special meeting attended by Emperor Alexander II, Grand Prince Konstantin, the finance and navy ministers and the Russian ambassador to Washington.

The participants unanimously approved the sale of Alaska for $7.2 million in gold. The ceremony of Alaska's transfer to the United States was held on board the USS Ossipee, off Novoarkhangelsk (New Archangel, later renamed Sitka).

Pchyolki was established in December 2008 upon the initiative of Orthodox orphanages to support the social and educational efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church, including assisting orphans and children left without parental care.