Bill Clinton: “Paul Klebnikov's widow Musa has explained that Paul, through his journalism, sought to foster hope in the hearts of the…”

“Paul Klebnikov's widow Musa has explained that Paul, through his journalism, sought to foster hope in the hearts of the ordinary Russian citizen, bring corruption to light and focus attention on positive models of how a democracy ought to operate. Chairman Brownback and I have sought to keep the attention of the United States Government focused on reinforcing with Russian authorities the vital need to hold to account all those responsible for Paul Klebnikov's murder. I was pleased to join with nine of my colleagues on the Helsinki Commission in writing to President Putin and calling for an aggressive investigation into the killing. I also wrote to President Bush to ask him to raise the issue of Paul's murder with President Putin during their meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia on February 24th. That meeting with President Putin presented an opportunity to make clear that all those involved in instigating, ordering, planning and carrying out the murder should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Helsinki Commission and my office have been assured that representatives of the State Department have expressed to the Government of Russia the United States Government's desire to see a thorough and complete investigation of this murder.”