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Press conference of British Ambassador to Russia Sir Roderic Lyne
Good afternoon, dear colleagues! The Russian information agency RosBusinessConsulting begins an Internet press conference with British Ambassador to Russia Sir Roderic Lyne. Not long ago RosBusinessConsulting conducted Internet conferences with ambassadors of the USA and Germany and we know that such virtual meetings with official representatives of the leading world countries present a great interest to our audience. If this conference were held before September 11, it would probably be devoted mainly to outlooks for economic cooperation between our countries, to ways of attracting British investments in the Russian economy and issues on visas, in other words usual topics that are traditionally of interest to the RBC audience. However, the terrorist attacks in the USA focused the attention of the whole world on one, the most acute, problem - What measures should be taken by the international community to fight international terrorism? A lot will depend on the coordination of actions between the leading world powers, and Russia and Great Britain, in particular. The address of the Russian President that he made the day before yesterday has clarified the position of Moscow on the situation around the planned military campaign. Yesterday we heard a quite distinct position of Germany. Today we have an opportunity to hear some commentaries from a representative of the British government. It is known that the positions of Russia and Europe concerning the situation in Chechnya differ significantly. How does Sir Roderic Lyne estimate outlooks for more close positions on this issue taking into account the acceleration of international terrorism and in such a monstrous form? This is one of many questions to Sir Ambassador. Since there are a lot of questions but the time we have with Sir Roderic Lyne is limited, I'd like to give the floor to the Ambassador. Opening speech of British Ambassador to Russia Sir Roderic Lyne.
Last time you invited me to participate in the online press conference in June or July I didn't know that the conference will be held in such a tragic and interesting moment. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time that the British Ambassador in Moscow participates in an Internet press conference. This is a new experience for a poor British Ambassador. It seems like an interrogation for me, and it is especially difficult for me as I have a terrible runny nose and may even loose my voice. This month was sad and very difficult for all of us. It was sad not only for the people in America, but for those who live in Russia and Great Britain as well. People from more than 80 countries lost their relatives as a result of the series of terrorist acts in New York and Washington, D.C. Frankly speaking, these acts of terrorism were an attack on liberty, democracy, legality, human rights, the international community, the human values respected by all religions and countries. This was an attack on life, and as Russians, Britons, Americans, Protestants, Orthodox, or Muslims, we all must win this battle against terrorism. I am sure that we will win, but this struggle requires new partnership between countries of the world, it requires a global coalition of all countries, all nations, all governments. Winning this fight is our common task and our common goal. Of course, I would like not only to answer questions related to this issue, but also to touch upon a wider range of problems. I returned to Russia 23 months ago as Ambassador of Great Britain, and the relations between our countries have been especially close, especially fruitful in this period of time. For me personally, it was a special privilege and pleasure to work and live here in Moscow at this time and have an opportunity to travel around the country. When I was living here 13 years ago it was impossible for a foreign diplomat to travel freely around Russia. It is a great pleasure to have an opportunity to communicate with Russians and take part in their life. This did not happen in the history of our countries in the past. And it is a great pleasure for me now. For the first time I visited Russia and lived in Moscow 40 years ago and I could say that this is my favorite country. I am glad that my friends and I can live here in Russia in a very interesting period of our history. A. Nodel: The preparations for an anti-terrorist operation have caused to suffer dozens if not hundreds or thousands of ordinary people in Afghanistan. If such a massive exodus of refuges occurred in any other country of the world what would be the reaction of the European community?
We would like to convey our most heartfelt condolences to the Afghanistan's ordinary people. Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries of the world, probably the poorest one. It had suffered from a protracted military conflict, and then - from the Talibs' cruel methods. We, citizens of the United Kingdom, as all other members of the international community, do not recognize the Taliban regime. For many years we have tried to help the country's population wherever we could, we attempted sending relief supplies, but it was very difficult especially because the Talibs prevented international community from helping the Afghani population. Recently, our government announced its readiness to allocate another $40 million (25 million pound sterling) to help Afghani refugees. Besides, the European community is willing to provide additional relief supplies to Afghanistan from continental Europe. I would like to stress that now when we have united in combating terrorism, our attacks are not spearheaded against civilians in Afghanistan. We will fight only against those who assist the terrorists. It is very important for us to understand that there are many civilians in Afghanistan who are suffering from the Taliban terrorism. In the final analysis, a solution to the Afghani problem lies in establishing a law-governed and democratic regime in that country, a regime that would be willing to cooperate with the international community, including with Russia, Great Britain, the UN, etc. A. Sergeev (Moscow): Are there any British troops currently deployed on the CIS territory, specifically in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan?
At this moment, all British military presence in the CIS is limited to the defense force of this embassy and those of British embassies in other CIS countries. These contingents maintain close cooperation with your armed forces. Suffice is to say that three weeks ago I was in Arkhangelsk attending commemoration ceremonies with the participation of our military frigate for the victims of the military actions that took place there 60 years ago. Besides these, we have no other military contingents in the CIS. A. Kapyshina (RBC): How does the official London view Russia's position toward the anti-terrorist operation?
We are very glad that the government of the Russian Federation shares our position and supports struggle against terrorism. We consider Russia to be our partner in this struggle. I discussed the issue personally with high-ranking representatives of the Russian government and there were no disagreements between us at that moment. O.Yu. Voevodin (St. Petersburg): Russian media reported that a number of representations of the Muslim organizations which openly proclaim terrorism operate in Great Britain. Why does your country allow such organizations to operate on your territory?
It seems to me you don't quite understand the situation in Great Britain. Of course, the British are against terrorism and we've suffered from terrorism ourselves. Approximately 3,000 our citizens have been killed in terrorist acts within Great Britain over the last 30 years. A number of British citizens were killed in Chechnya and some 200 British, according to our estimates, died in the terrorist act in New York two weeks ago. Strict anti-terrorist measures are being taken in Great Britain and a new anti-terrorist law was adopted earlier this year. Thanks to this law we have managed to reduce the number of people who live in our country and use our freedoms for the purpose of assisting terrorists. Prohibited by law in Great Britain is to raise money for terrorists or to take part in the preparation of terrorist acts. Such activities are also prohibited in your country and in other countries of the world. If a resident of Great Britain goes in for activities that violate this law we are determined to put an end to such activities and to initiate legal proceedings against him. At the same time, we would never want to curtain the freedom of speech which has existed in our country for a long time. T. Timofeyev (Ryazan): How soon, in your opinion, will the United States drop its idea of dominating the world? To what extent will it be difficult for Great Britain to find a new role for itself in a new world?
I disagree with the position expressed in this question. We maintain close and partnership relations with the United States as well as with the countries of Europe, Russia, and the countries which belong to the British Commonwealth of Nations, such as Australia, Canada, etc., because we share the same principles of democracy, supremacy of the law, etc. Natalia (Moscow): The European Union has declared that it will not extradite those who are suspected in terrorism to the United States if they may be executed. What is your attitude toward this declaration and what do you thing about it?
Death penalty is not applied in my country as well as in all other countries of the European Union. There is no secret in that we do not agree with the position of those States of America where death penalty is still used. As regards struggle against terrorism, all countries of Europe have supported the government of the United States wholeheartedly, and this support was expressed in their statement which was issued last week. RBC: During his yesterday's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said that the issue of Russia's entry in NATO may be discussed. What's the position of Great Britain in this issue?
As far as I know, Russia has never applied for a NATO membership, therefore the question has not been raised. When the question is raised, NATO will discuss it. I would like to note that should such question arise either outcome would be possible. At this point the question is not quite pertinent. A. Krivenko (Kazan): Is Russia, in your opinion, an attractive object for sizable British investments at this moment?
Yes, there is a certain interest on the part British companies. Of course, it depends on the conditions here. It is most important for Russia to attract investments if Russia really wants them. For example, our large oil companies are ready to take part in sizable projects in Russia, projects worth more than $10 billion. There are many positive examples of British companies doing business in Russia. Great Britain is No. 5 on the rating list of foreign investors in Russia. We would like to increase the amount of our investments in Russia because we are sure that this would be mutually beneficial, and we know that from our own experience. During the last 20-30 years we have achieved a major economic breakthrough in our country with the help of foreign investments. A huge number of American, Japanese, Korean and European companies have invested in Great Britain and these investments have helped to improve our industries in both quality and quantity. At the same time, our companies, banks and financial organizations often send money abroad. In the United States, for example, British investments amount to more than $100 billion. This is a very positive process which benefits all. Yelena (Moscow): Is it possible for Great Britain to revise its position toward Chechnya in connection with the terrorist act in the United States?
Our stance toward the Chechen problem has not changed. We have a very clear position in the Chechen issue. First, my government is against terrorism in any country or region, including in Chechnya. I would like to remind that the terrorists killed not only Russians, but also citizens of Great Britain. Secondly, according to international law, Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation which means that Russia's sovereignty extends on Chechnya. Third, no government can tolerate rebellions against its power. It is not only the right and responsibility, but also the duty of the Russian government to ensure peaceful life and a democratic and lawful power for the population of Chechnya, which means fighting against the terrorists and rebels. Fourth, in any conflict it is very important for everybody to respect the international humanitarian law and human rights, i.e. the rights of entire population. Fifth, in any conflict, after order is restored, a political solution is usually required, and this is recognized not only by the government of Great Britain, but also by the government of Russia. Natalia (St. Petersburg): Is it true that the procedure of obtaining a British visa for Russians has been changed beginning today? Could you describe the new system?
These rules are essentially technical, and I would advise Natalia to have a look at our Website at www.britemb.msk.ru. I want to point out that 60 percent of British visa requests come to us via agents, and in order to simplify the process we have introduced a new system of accreditation for travel agencies. The new system comes into effect beginning on October 1, but more than 130 travel agencies have already obtained registration, and we hope that these minor changes will help us improve the efficiency of our work. Also I would like to note that we expect to receive 70,000 visa requests in this year. Until now, we could satisfy 97 percent of visa requests and 93 percent of them have been processed within one day. Therefore, our system is fast and not too complicated. Andrei Drozdov (St. Petersburg): Is there any organization that could help a small Russian company to find an investment partner in Great Britain?
Yes, there is a very good organization and its name is The Embassy of Great Britain in Moscow. Our commercial department is always ready to help Russian businessmen who are looking for partners in Great Britain. I would advise your client to contact us via the Internet at www.britemb.mask.ru. Does Great Britain plan to impose stricter visa regulations along the ethnic lines?
Visa procedures already depend on the person's nationality because we do not have visa regimes with all countries. However, as far as I know there are no plans to revise our visa regimes in connection with the terrorist act in the United States. British Defense Minister is scheduled to visit Russia in October. What are the visit's dates and what issues will be discussed?
I think, it is very difficult to find out what issues will be discussed during this visit. We proposed the visit a few months ago yet before the crisis. First, this will be an answering visit because the former defense minister of your country visited Great Britain last year. By and large, our minister Geoffrey Hoon plans to discuss the question of extending the cooperation between our military forces. I've already mentioned earlier that our fleets cooperate. Also, I would like to note that there is a positive cooperation between other branches of our military forces, including a major program of skill-conversion for the officers discharged from the Russian Armed Forces. Besides, our Defense Ministry is running a program of assisting these officers in finding jobs and their adaptation to civilian life. I know that Geoffrey Hoon would like to propose to expand this program. Of course and without doubt, our joint struggle against terrorism will emerge on the top of the list now. And I know that your Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov plays a very important role in this struggle and your president mentioned that in his televised address this Monday. We have not announced the visit's date yet, but I will not be surprised if it occurs in the second week of October. "Nashe Radio": The tragic events in New York and Washington sparked complaints in the United States about the performance of American intelligence services. British intelligence services, MI5 and MI6, are very highly reputed worldwide. But nevertheless, have there been any discussions in the British government or among the public about the need to increase the role of intelligence service in the country and in the world?
Interesting question. We have an established rule here: We do not discuss activities of British intelligence. As regards the situation in America, it is difficult for a special service to operate there. Not only because the country is very big, but also because it has a very high degree of freedom. It is a very important thing for the Americans as well as for the whole world. The United States has always welcomed people from all countries, and has traditionally been a country of immigrants. This is why, citizens of more than 80 countries were victimized in the recent terrorist act in the United States. I feel a very strong compassion toward the American authorities because they, on the one hand, wish to preserve the freedoms which are essential for the Americans, while on the other hand, they have the duty to protect the population from terrorist attacks. This is a very difficult task. BBC, Russian service: As you have said, Great Britain has not changed its the position toward the situation in Chechnya. I think I will not reveal any big secret if I say that from the day the tragedy occurred in the United States Russian officials, in their comments on the event, have been drawing direct parallels between the terrorist act in the United States and the events taking place in Chechnya. It is clear that Russia somehow expects changes in the world community's position toward the situation in Chechnya. Yesterday, Gerhard Schroeder said that such changes are possible on the part of Germany. Do you think Russia can expect some changes in the world community's attitudes towards the situation in Chechnya?
You know, every conflict has its specificity. Situation in Chechnya is different from that in, say, Afghanistan or that in Northern Ireland. And we have certain common principles in fighting terrorism. When two years ago Russia suffered her own tragedy, I mean the bombing of apartment houses in Moscow and other cities of Russia, we, in addition to condolences, offered your government tangible assistance. In this struggle against terrorism we all should be hand-in-hand. But it would be senseless to compare situation in Chechnya with that in any other region. Our firm position is that we are against terrorism in Chechnya. Does the government of Great Britain consider the possibility of any freedom restrictions to facilitate the struggle against terrorism?
Of course, my government is considering all possibilities of strengthening our security. However, we are doing this with a sense of moderation. It is very important not to make any hurried decision which are fraught with mistakes. In this year, Great Britain adopted a new anti-terrorist law, but I would rather not try to guess what measures may be taken in the future. This issue is beyond my sphere of competence as the ambassador of Great Britain to Russia. Yury Rovensky (closing speech) I would like to thank British Ambassador to Russia Sir Roderic Lyne for the possibility of receiving his answers in Russian. This allowed us to ask a wide variety of questions. In addition, I would like to thank you for your answers on behalf of participants of the press conference. 27,014 people from 47 regions and republics of the Russian Federation and 26 countries were online with us during our Internet press conference. I also hope that this wasn't an interrogation. As for those questions that remained unanswered, I hope we will find all the necessary information on www.britemb.msk.ru. In addition, a transcript, a video and a recording of today's press conference will be available to RBC users on www.rbc.ru. The English version of the conference is available on our web site and in Russia Journal as well.
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