Brussels, 28/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - In a statement, the Dutch Presidency of the EU has described itself as “seriously concerned by the fact that the Belarusian authorities have still not carried out an independent and credible investigation into the possible involvement of three officials in the disappearance and death of three members of the opposition and a journalist in the years 1999 and 2000”. Having appealed to the Belarusian authorities on several occasions to start such proceedings (see EUROPE of 15 May, p. 7), the EU decided on Monday to restrict access to its territory to Mr Cheïman, Mr Sivakov, and Mr Pavlitchenko, and to others identified by the Pourgouriodes report of the Council of Europe, as “key actors” in these events. At the time, these three people were attorney general, minister for sports and a high-ranking official in the Special Forces respectively. The EU has expressed serious misgivings about allowing these people to remain in their posts, and feels that their presence at meetings with EU institutions or in the Member States is “inappropriate”.