NAVUMAW: POURGOURIDES MADE WRONG CONCLUSIONS

15.01.2004.

January 14 at a press conference on the 2003 work of the Ministry, Minister of Internal Affairs Uladzimir Navumaw claimed he didn’t know why PACE reporter Christos Pourgourides had concluded the top Belarusian officials were connected to political disappearances in Belarus.

Journalists asked Minister Navumaw to comment on the conclusion from Christos Pourgourides’s report that top leadership of Belarus was involved in political disappearances. Uladzimir Navumaw said: "He asked me questions, and I answered them. It is difficult to guess why he came to such a conclusion".
Uladzimir Navumaw said, his conversation with Mr. Pourgourides lasted for almost 1.5 hours. However, Navumaw refused to say what they were talking about, referring to the agreement with Pourgourides: "It was his request: not to disclose our conversation before he meets everybody and makes his conclusions", mentioned Minister Navumaw today. Christos Pourgourides has already published his memorandum about political disappearances in Belarus and made his conclusions. In particular, he reported Uladzimir Navumaw had not recognized right away authenticity of General Lapatsik’s report, claiming Viktar Sheiman was one of the suspects. Only when Mr. Pourgourides suggested a graphology expert examination should be made, Navumaw claimed Lapatsik’s report was authentic. According to Mr. Pourgourides, then Uladzimir Navumaw claimed the version in General Lapatsik’s report was a mistake. Uladzimir Navumaw is also mentioned in Mr. Pourgourides’s report in conjunction with SOBR commander Pawlichenka, suspected of organizing abduction and killing of Zakharanka, Hanchar, and Krasowski. Today journalists asked Minister Navumaw why he had done nothing to convince Pawlichenka to meet with Mr. Pourgourides. Uladzimir Navumaw took all the responsibility: "As far as lieutenant colonel Pawlichenka is concerned, I believe, as a Minister of Internal Affairs I answered all questions to me and my subordinates, because I am responsible for them as well".

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