Moscow's open stance good for probing plane crash causes
MOSCOW, Oct 09, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- Any of the versions of the Tu- 154 crash over the Black Sea on October 4 is hard and unpleasant to consider. Be it a technical trouble, a terrorist act or a missile. Moscow can, like it did so many times in the past, ponder which of these hypotheses "is more correct politically." But it has decided against embarking on a well-trodden path. The Russian leadership made it clear from the very beginning that it is ready to consider without prejudice all arguments, all substantiated versions without prejudice. It is a case of the loss of human lives, and in a case of this sort it is wrong to even try to conceal the truth under a disguise of political advisability.
Hot on the heels of the tragedy Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma to make clear the Russian stance: all versions, he said, demand a thorough research and consideration.
Moscow's precisely-formulated requests addressed to the Ukrainian and American parties made it unequivocally clear that in its search for truth it will not blame anyone outright and it does not plan to cover up anything in its search for exhaustive information.
Suffice it recall Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov's statement about the president's dissatisfaction with the incomplete nature of the data received by that time from Ukraine.
"all versions of the event are being studied, including the possible interconnection between the disaster and the anti-aircraft exercises which were being conducted by the Ukrainian side at the time," said the Russian minister.
Along with that, Moscow is not rushing the investigation, and is not hurrying up the Ukrainian side, while letting it analyze the situation most thoroughly and independently and make up its own mind as to the conclusions to be drawn. Not a single statement that has been made in Moscow has voiced doubt in Ukraine's good will.
In its search for the truth, Moscow is open to any cooperation - in the information, legal or technical field. Let's recall how fast a question was resolved about the invitation of a large group of Israeli experts to take part in the investigation into the circumstances of the crash. Ukrainian specialists joined the investigators as soon as the "missile version" surfaced during the course of the inquiries. To ensure a comprehensively objective character of the ensuing picture, Ukrainian representatives with Russia's consent were included in the commission which is investigating the causes of the Tu-154 air crash.
There is no room in this position for speculations about whether and how this approach will affect in future the already complicated Russian-Ukrainian relations.
Next to taking care of the families and close relatives of the deceased people, it is now most important to clear up the cause of the crash. Any understatements, any attempts at deviating from the efforts to attain this objective will eventually give rise to nothing but harm and mutual suspicions.
It is gladdening that Ukrainian Presdient Leonid Kuchma has declared a similar stance. "We as never before are interested in the truth, whatever it may be," said he. next to his own premier the Ukrainian presdient admitted "a theoretical possibility" that the Tu- 154 airline exploded as a result of being hit by a Ukrainian missile. He stressed at the same time that the final conclusions can me drawn only after the most scrupulous investigation.
All in all, favorable political conditions have been created for a thorough investigation. It only remains to hope that the military and technical specialists engaged in the effort will work in a concerted, rapid, and effective fashion.
By Mikhail Kalmykov |
