British ambassador to Russia Tony Brenton attends a reception devoted to British artist and photographer Sam Taylor-Wood. The event was held in the British Embassy in Moscow on May 24, 2005.
Photo: Valery Levitin
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
"International Cooperation Plays a Key Role in the Litvinenko Affair"
// British Ambassador Tony Brenton Writes a Kommersant Exclusive
The Litvinenko affair has turned into a serious test of the relations between Russia and Britain. In an article written especially for Kommersant, British Ambassador Tony Brenton explains how British law enforcement is investigating the matter and reiterates that the impartiality of British investigators is untainted by political considerations.
There is not a single person left in Britain or Russia who has not heard about the death of Alexander Litvinenko in London at the end of last year. The media is extremely interested in the matter, and over the last two months my colleagues in the consulate have been bombarded with requests to comment on the progress of the investigation.
The circumstances surrounding Mr. Litvinenko's death are being investigated by the London Police (Scotland Yard), and it is not our job to comment on the progress of their work. In addition, it is considered inappropriate in Britain to reveal or explain details of an investigation, since that can jeopardize classified information. The police will reveal details only when they consider it possible to do so.
However, I can answer the question of how a police investigation works in Great Britain.
As in Russia, the first step involves investigating the alleged crime. That is the job of the police, and the police are independent of the government. The senior investigator, who is typically an experienced detective, is fully responsibility for the work. He leads a team that examines each piece of evidence methodically, regardless of the direction in which it may lead. The police then review the evidence to see whether it is sufficient to open a criminal case.
If a criminal investigation is launched, the police form an investigative group whose make-up is determined by the nature of the crime. Everyone knows that experienced, professional detectives and specialists in many different fields work for Scotland Yard, and a flexible division of labor allows the team to get right down to work.
During the investigation, the police review all of the possible scenarios, carefully inspect the crime scene, and obtain warrants to conduct searches. Witnesses are questioned in order to compile a clear picture of events. The evidence is carefully weighed and analyzed no matter how long it takes. Sometimes pieces of evidence can be insufficient on can appear contradictory. Work with the evidence needs to be kept confidential, far from the prying eyes of the media.
At the next step, the police evaluate the collected evidence. This is where their many years of experience come in. If it is concluded that some of the components of a crime are missing, the case is closed. If the proof is insufficient for a trial but all possibilities have already been explored and exhausted, the case is stalled. In that case, if new information or evidence turns up later, it is carefully verified. At any point, the police can ask for assistance from the office of the public prosecutor. Cases concerning unsolved murders are never closed.
If the assembled evidence is judged to be sufficient, the police pass their conclusions on to the public prosecutor, who then makes the decision about whether to bring the case to trial. If the case is sent to trial, the public prosecutor directs the police to inform the accused of the charges and to order them to stand trial in an independent court of law.
In Great Britain any person accused of a crime in considered innocent until proven guilty. The entire process is independent of any government or political influence. British judges are likewise not subjected to political pressure. Neither the police, nor the public prosecutor, not the judges receive any counsel from the government regarding how they should conduct an investigation or what outcomes they should aim for. In fact, interfering with the process of an investigation in an attempt to influence the outcome of the trial is a serious offense.
This independence is a distinguishing characteristic of the British judicial system. It protects against corruption and misuse of power and prevents the work of the professional investigators from becoming politicized.
As I have already said, it is not up to me to comment on the progress of the investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko. That is wholly and completely a matter for the London police.
However, I do have one general comment to make. There is the opinion that the investigation is being complicated by its international nature, which requires cooperation between different countries. But that is nothing new. Cooperation between law enforcement agencies in different countries is common and is regulated by the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed in 1959.
Cooperation in this area is not solely at the level of law enforcement – it also includes cooperation between governments. Great Britain is among the countries that are actively developing their international partnerships in this field.
Crime has no boundaries. With that understanding in mind, Great Britain founded the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA), which works in cooperation with international partners. We have made it possible for professional investigators to work in countries in Europe such as the Balkans. By working to change the security situation in Afghanistan in order to eliminate the need to grow poppies, we are attempting to suppress the drug trade that is fueling international crime.
International cooperation plays a key role in the Litvinenko affair. British investigators have visited Moscow to help their Russian colleagues question a small group of potential witnesses. They are indebted to the Russian Prosecutor General's office for its cooperation.
But that is only the beginning of the process. The British authorities are taking the London murder of Alexander Litvinenko, a British citizen, extremely seriously. Even more serious is the fact that the nature of his death could have serious repercussions for many British citizens and guest of our capital.
In the investigation into this complicated matter, the British police are counting on cooperation in the future with the corresponding Russian government agencies. The ability to count on one another is in the interest of both our countries.
We are also striving to expand our mutual government cooperation in the struggle against international terrorism. Only in cooperation with Russia can we build the safe and stable world that we all deserve.
Ambassador Tony Brenton
All the Article in Russian as of Jan. 26, 2007
|
|
|
