MOSCOW, February 20 - RAPSI. President Vladimir Putin has spoken out against upholding requests for the return of objects of cultural value which were confiscated by the Soviet government after the 1917 revolution.

"If we agree to turn Russian state property over to someone now, we will open a Pandora's box. I am not going to argue for or against the Soviet government's decision to nationalize a vast amount of property after the 1917 revolution. But nearly a hundred years have passed, and we have long accepted the state of things," Putin said.

The Russian president added that if Russia were to begin granting these kinds of requests, there would be no end to them and who knows what it would lead to.

"Perhaps we may be able to address the issue in the future, but I don't think we are at all ready for it now. It's a no go," Putin added.