Commenting on Mikhail Khodorkovskii\'s arrest, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow said the U.S. government is \"concerned about this escalation of legal pressure being exerted on Yukos,\" \"The Moscow Times\" reported on 27 October. \"We won\'t comment on the legal basis for Khodorkovskii\'s detention. It would appear, though, that the law is being applied selectively at the very least,\" the newspaper quoted Vershbow as saying. He added that the arrest will \"send a very negative signal to companies investing in or considering investing in Russia.\" \"The Financial Times\" reported on 26 October that merger discussions between Yukos and competing U.S. oil majors ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco have been temporarily halted until Khodorkovskii\'s fate \"becomes clearer.\" The newspaper cited \"people close to the situation.\" (RFE/RL)