THE US STATE DEPARTMENT TRIES TO KEEP AWAY FROM PAVEL BORODIN'S CASE








WASHINGTON, March 14. /From RIA Novosti correspondent Arkady Orlov/. The Russian side was informed about the transfer of state secretary of the Russia-Belarus Union state Pavel Borodin from the Brooklyn prison to a New York hospital immediately after it became known to US officials, said official representative of the US State Department Richard Boucher. According to him, the staff workers of the Russian consulate can visit him.


	Addressing journalists in Washington on Tuesday Boucher also pointed out that the American side was informed of the Russian side's disagreement with the ruling of the New York judge last week, who refused to release Borodin on a bail. Boucher also noted that all the decisions on this question are in the court's terms of reference.


	Pavel Borodin may stop the extradition procedure by agreeing to go to Switzerland, said Boucher. According to him, Borodin does not use this possibility and therefore continues to be imprisoned in the US.


	Former chief of the business management department of Boris Yeltsin Pavel Borodin was arrested in New York on January 18 on the basis of the international warrant written by Switzerland. The Swiss judicial authorities accuse Russian highly placed official of laundering money and violating the laws of Switzerland. The Russian prosecutor general's office has no claims to Borodin.


	In his recent interview to the New York Times Borodin pointed out he does not object to going to Switzerland but said he is not guilty and may go there only as a free man.