For some time Russia has acted as if it is spoiling for a fight
-- nothing physical, just something to impress friends, neighbors
and its own citizens with how tough it is.
The latest in the Putin regime's rather perverse effort to gain
respect is its harassment of the British Council, the officially
backed organization that informs and instructs worldwide in things
British.
The Kremlin has been deeply resentful that their campaign to
crush Chechen dissidence has not been accepted as a war against
terrorism. They were particularly unhappy with the British for
giving political asylum to Boris Berezovsky, the former Russian
"oligarch" who the FSB (heir to the 2nd Chief Directorate of the
KGB) charged with stealing billions of dollars from the companies
he controlled during the Yeltsin era.
These actions, and the American plan to put an anti-missile
system in Poland, have been used by Putin to challenge the peaceful
motivation of the U.S. and U.K. toward Russia. Moscow has refused
to increase pressure on Iran's nuclear development. They have been
adamant in their support of Serbia on the question of Kosovo
independence. They even have resumed Cold War-type long-range
bomber flights and threatened to bring the Russian navy back to the
Mediterranean.
So what is so dangerous to the Putin regime's existence that the
FSB has decided to make a target of the British Council offices in
Russia? These offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg
in the Urals provide English language education, library
facilities, exhibitions and theatrical events among other cultural
activities.
DURING THE COLD WAR the idea that this cultural organization acted
as a cover for British intelligence (MI6) was accepted by both the
KGB and spy novelists. It certainly has been a convenient
target.
As one Soviet diplomat said years ago when asked why Moscow
didn't treat the U.S. Information Agency (USIA/USIS) the same as
its British counterpart, "Frankly, they (USIS) don't do anything.
They just sit there. Ha, ha." It was a clever way of putting down
the Americans while obliquely condemning the Brits.
The Russian cold warrior had attempted to make a sly joke in his
second language, though he had a point. The British have always
been rather aggressive as "culture warriors," but of course in a
decorous manner. The presentation of certain of Shakespeare's plays
can carry a strong political message. It's amazing how touchy
Russian officials can become over "Richard III."
The Russians today have far more specific problems with the
British Council. The cultural agency has had considerable outreach
among Russian journalists and dissidents who view the Putin regime
as repressive of free speech. From the FSB standpoint this is
meddling in internal politics. And this is the point where the real
conflict between the two governments surfaces.
THE BRITS WERE livid at the poisoning of former KGB officer
Alexander Litvinenko in London and subsequently demanded the
extradition of another former KGB officer, Andrei Lugovoi, as a
criminal suspect. The Russians refused to comply. The clear
implication was that if there were to be no Berezovsky extradition
there wouldn't be any questioning of Lugovoi.
The Russians ordered the British Council offices closed in St.
Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. The British refused in both places.
Last week traffic police picked up Stephen Kinnock, the director of
the St.Petersburg office, on a driving under the influence (DUI)
charge.
He was released within 30 minutes, but the political point had
been made. Kinnock is the son of Lord Kinnock former head of the
British Labour Party and a European commissioner. He now chairs the
British Council.
The Brits went ballistic, even to the point of having their new
foreign minister, David Miliband , launch a stinging rebuke toward
Moscow. The Russian tax police had made nighttime visits to Council
employees' homes and generally intimidated everyone who worked for
the cultural office. The charge was made by the Russian authorities
that the British Council had not gone through the proper procedures
for the opening of the offices outside of Moscow.
An administrative retreat line was thereby established and the
experienced British Foreign Office followed the path indicated. The
two branch offices are now temporarily closed and "The Tempest" is
now, hopefully, in its final act.
For the ordinary public this event was nothing more than another
amateur theatrical experience. But for the security services
involved there was nothing amateur about it. The Russians are
serious about sending signals that they demand respect on all
levels, and will press all issues at home and abroad to make that
point.
The question now exists to what extent the Kremlin intends to
challenge United States and European positions -- and what the
US/EU will do about it?
topics:
Education, Iran, Russia, Oil
