Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005
From: Edward Lozansky (lozansky@aol.com)
Subject: Letter to Senator Brownback [re: YUKOS, Khodorkovsky]
July 12, 2005
Dear Senator Brownback,
According to the information that I received, on July 13 you will chair a briefing on the political and business implications of the prosecution and imprisonment of Russian Yukos Oil Chairman and CEO, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The announcement by the Helsinki Commission lists only one witness, Mr. Leonid Nevzlin, "sometime business partner and friend of former Yukos Oil Chairman, Mikhail Khodorkovsky" as stated by the Commission.
I have been working with the Helsinki commission since the day of its establishment in 1976 and took part in many of its hearings as an observer or panelist. Therefore, I was very surprised to see that this time you invited only one person to testify on this very important subject.
It is well known that the Yukos affair is a very controversial one and it includes many complicated issues of tax evasion, corruption, and even murder charges. There are many different opinions expr! essed by the well known and respected individuals both in Russia, and the United States.
I believe that American public and the main cause of universal justice for which the Helsinki Commission was founded would be better served if in addition to Mr. Nevzlin you would invite other experts representing different points of view. Othervise the hearings on July 13 will be viewed by many people in both countries as an endorsement by U.S. Congress of one sided public bashing of the friendly nation.
Taking into account the importance of U.S. - Russia relations for the security and economy of the United States one should consider the negative implications of such policy and correct the situation by inviting one or several additional panelists to the upcoming hearings.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Edward Lozansky
President, American University in Moscow.