The Swiss government on Wednesday allowed the paintings from Russia's Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which were detained earlier in the day, to leave the country.

Foreign ministry spokesman Lars Knuchel said the decision of the government took effect after announcement and was binding on all federal and regional authorities.

He said the Swiss government was guided by the interests of the state when it made the decision.

Earlier reports said the 54 paintings had been placed in Geneva's free customs zone for temporary storage.

Duma indignant over paintings arrest in Switzerland

Deputies to Russian State Duma are indignant over the arrest in Switzerland of paintings from the collection of the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum.

"Masterpieces of world art cannot be hostages in legal disputes," said Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov. "Just look at the list of the paintings displayed at the exhibition. These include works by Renoir, Degas and Picasso. The paintings are kept in Russia, but they belong to the whole world. They are inviolable."

Lyubov Sliska, First Deputy Speaker of the Duma, described the situation with the arrest of the paintings as "absolutely shameful." "There is international law, which should regulate such problems. The paintings were taken to Switzerland for being displayed, not for being arrested."

A total of 55 paintings from the collection of the Pushkin Museum were exhibited in the museum of the Janadd Foundation in the town of Martigni, Valais Canton. These include works by Pierre-August Renoir, Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. After the end of the exhibition, the paintings were arrested at the request of the Noga Company.

Source: Agencies