Mozambique: Nyusi calls on civil servants to be more active to improve business environment
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Mozambique’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation said on Monday that it is “working in coordination” with the Russian Embassy in Maputo to clarify the circumstances surrounding the death of Ambassador Alexander Surikov on Saturday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is working in coordination with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Maputo, under the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, to clarify the circumstances of his death,” said the Ministry’s spokesman, José Matsinhe, in a press statement in Maputo today.
According to the spokesman, the contacts are also aimed at “guaranteeing due solemnity in the transfer of the body of the deceased back to the Russian Federation”.
The Ministry recognises that Ambassador Surikov, in office since 2017, “spared no effort to materialise” “closer relations of friendship and cooperation” between the two countries, it said.
The President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, today sent a message of condolence to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the death in Maputo of Ambassador Alexander Surikov, assuring support in the “subsequent” process.
“The early departure of Ambassador Surikov, a dedicated diplomat with exceptional qualities who, with unrivalled professionalism, was able to defend his country’s interests while promoting fruitful cooperation between our two countries, leaves a huge void,” says the Mozambican president’s message of condolence.
In the same message, Filipe Nyusi reiterates the “solidarity” and “full support of the Government of Mozambique in the subsequent proceedings”.
The Mozambican Public Prosecutor’s Office (PGR) said today that it was unaware of the Russian authorities’ alleged decision not to authorise the Russian ambassador’s autopsy.
READ: Mozambique: Russian ambassador found dead in his residence – AIM report
Alexander Surikov, 68, was found dead on Saturday night at his official residence in Maputo and, according to the Mozambican police, the Russian authorities did not authorise any examination of the body.
“I can’t talk about this [the failure to authorise an autopsy] (…). I have no knowledge of it. But naturally the Public Prosecutor’s Office will be made aware of any criminal offence, if any,” Nazimo Mussá, spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office, told the media on the sidelines of the office’s meeting in Maputo.
According to information from the police (PRM) to which Lusa had access on Sunday, the “presumption” of the investigation is “sudden death from undetermined causes”, however, when the police team arrived at the morgue of Maputo’s Central Hospital “they found that the body had already been embalmed”.
“And, under instructions from Russia, which reached the squad’s technical team through the consul of the Russian Federation, Mr Yuri Doroshenkov, who was present at the morgue together with the embassy’s security officer, they were instructed not to carry out any (…) examination of the body, let alone an autopsy,” the information states.
“However, the technical team took photographs of the deceased’s body in the storage compartment, photographs were taken of the deceased’s home and the consul’s statement was taken,” it added.
In one of his few statements to the media, Ambassador Surikov had told Lusa on 2 February that Moscow was willing to support Maputo in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, in the event of a request, pointing out, however, that the support the country is receiving is sufficient.
“We have many years’ experience of co-operation in the military sphere with Mozambique, we helped that country build its armed forces and they know perfectly well about our capabilities. If they need any specific help, we are always there for them,” he said at the time.
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