British Council branch closes in diplomatic standoff

(9 Jan 2008)
8 January 2008, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
1. Wide of city centre
2. Wide of visitors taking pictures
3. Close of sparrows
4. Wide of main street
5. Close of British Council sign reading (English) 'British Council'
6. Close of pedestrians walking down the street
7. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Kirill Ivanov, city resident:
"I don't know anything negative about the British Council. My friend's daughter participated in an educational program with the British Council, she went to learn English and everything was well. No espionage, no recruitment from the British side."
8. Exterior of the British Council office windows
9. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Anastasia Efimova, city resident:
"Any campaign which shortens or hinders contacts is not good for friendship or good relationships. I don't want anything to be closed."
9 January 2008, Moscow, Russia
10. Wide exterior of the Russian Foreign Ministry
11. Close of the Soviet emblem
12. Wide of people walking down the street
13. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) No name given:
"Is it an educational (institution)? But what is standing behind of this educational institution?"
14. Wide of the Foreign Ministry
STORYLINE:
In December of 2007 Russia ordered offices of the British Council in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg to close as of 1 January 2008.
The offices are closed for Russia's winter holidays, but British officials say they will defy the order and resume operations on 14 Jan 2008.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement that the activity of the British Council in Moscow and Russian regions has no legal foundation. He also accused Britain of "politicising" the situation.
Russians have different opinions concerning the closure of the British Council offices. But most of them, such as St Petersburg city resident Anastasia Efimova, think it as 'not good for friendship' between the two countries.
Kirill Ivanov, a St. Petersburg city resident who's friend's daughter took part in an educational program with the British Council agrees.
"I don't know anything negative about the British Council. My friend's daughter participated in an educational program with the British Council, she went to learn English and everything was well. No espionage, no recruitment from the British side."
However one Russian resident AP Television spoke to was a bit more suspicious.
"Is it an educational (institution)? But what is standing behind of this educational institution?", he said.
British Council officials have been seeking an agreement with the Russian government that would allow the offices to open without incident.
The British Council is technically a non-governmental organisation, but it acts as the cultural department of the British Embassy. Russia insists it
acts as a profit making organisation.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last month that the British Council closure order was taken as a "countermeasure" to the diplomat expulsion.

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