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Russia to release all recordings about Kaczynski’s plan crash

19 January 2011 01:58 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Russia will release all transcripts of the talks between Russian air traffic controllers and the crew members of late Polish President Lech Kaczynski’s plane, Moscow- based Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) announced on Tuesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

The move was believed to reject criticism from the Polish side that blamed Russian airport staff for making several errors under pressure.

"Reasons for the release are media reports citing the interior minister of the Republic of Poland, Jerzy Miller, about the Polish side’s publication of transcripts of negotiations by the air traffic controllers of the Smolensk Severny airfield," Alexei Morozov, chairman of the technical commission of the IAC, said in a statement.

The purpose of Russia’s decision is "to provide the international community with objective information," he added.

Morozov also denied Poland’s claims that pressure was put on the controllers at Smolensk airport.

"No facts about pressure on the flight controllers have been uncovered," he said.

In April 2010, 96 people aboard Polish President Lech Kaczynski ’s official Tupolev Tu-154 plane were killed in a crash near Smolensk airport in western Russia. The plane was carrying Kaczynski, his wife Maria and a large number of senior Polish officials.

IAC released the final investigation report on Jan. 12, saying the cause of the plane crash has been attributed to the crew’s refusal to divert to another airport under pressure to avoid upsetting the president.

The report was soon under fire from the Polish side, which accused the report for lacking evidence