U.S. Congress probes into Kiriyenko-related letter

On Tuesday, the U.S. Congress began an internal probe into the forged letter from five Congressmen, which featured the name of Sergei Kiriyenko (the presidential plenipotentiary to the Volga federal district and former prime minister), Duke Hipp, press secretary for Charles Norwood, Rep., of the U.S. Congress.

At this stage, the probe is conducted by the structures inside the House of Representatives, said Hipp. The signatures of Congressmen are fake, and this needs to be investigated," he added.

In his words, Mr. Norwood is one of the five members of the House of Representatives whose names were put under the forged letter and whose signature was falsified.

Hipp stressed that forged letters allegedly written by Congressmen and addressing the U.S. Secretary of State were not common, and added that the probe would be careful.

At this stage, it is early to speak of any precise timeframe and subsequent actions of the relevant structures of the House of Representatives, said Hipp.

Investigation materials can be later passed over to executive bodies, said the press secretary.

In this case, the investigation will be conducted by the office of the justice minister and the U.S. attorney general, said Hipp.

On Monday, some media reported that five Republican Congressmen had sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, accusing Kiriyenko of trying to obtain a residence permit in the U.S. and purchase property there.