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New U.S. Ambassador Meets With Opposition
Nikolaus von Twickel - Moscow Times - themoscowtimes.com - 1.16.12 - JRL 2012-9

Newly sworn-in U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul met with members of the political opposition and prominent liberal activists at the U.S. embassy in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation in Russia.

McFaul was joined at the meeting by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who served as Ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2008.

"Burns said the U.S. considers it important to support civil society in Russia," human rights activist Lev Ponomayov told news agency Interfax.

"There was an informal conversation about the state of civil society in the country, about human rights violations, and about what kinds of problems we have. Burns said he came in order to listen to our point of view and to take it into consideration in their work," Ponomaryov said.

Other activists invited to the meeting included Liliya Shabanova, head of Russian elections watchdog Golos, Elena Panfilova, Moscow director of anti-corruption organization Transparency International, and environmental activist Yevgeniya Chirikova, Interfax reported. The diplomats held a separate meeting with members of the political opposition.

Upon leaving the meeting, the activists were met by members of the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi, Chirikova told Interfax.

"They accused us of receiving instructions from McFaul and Burns, and we them of being Surkov's propaganda," Chirikova said.

Keywords: Russia, U.S.-Russian Relations - Russia News - Russia

 

Newly sworn-in U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul met with members of the political opposition and prominent liberal activists at the U.S. embassy in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation in Russia.

McFaul was joined at the meeting by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, who served as Ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2008.

"Burns said the U.S. considers it important to support civil society in Russia," human rights activist Lev Ponomayov told news agency Interfax.

"There was an informal conversation about the state of civil society in the country, about human rights violations, and about what kinds of problems we have. Burns said he came in order to listen to our point of view and to take it into consideration in their work," Ponomaryov said.

Other activists invited to the meeting included Liliya Shabanova, head of Russian elections watchdog Golos, Elena Panfilova, Moscow director of anti-corruption organization Transparency International, and environmental activist Yevgeniya Chirikova, Interfax reported. The diplomats held a separate meeting with members of the political opposition.

Upon leaving the meeting, the activists were met by members of the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi, Chirikova told Interfax.

"They accused us of receiving instructions from McFaul and Burns, and we them of being Surkov's propaganda," Chirikova said.