Peace Corps Moscow chief denies allegations of non-professionalism
Read and comment on this story from ussian news agency Ekho Moskvy that Jeff Hay, the head of the Peace Corps Moscow mission, flatly denied the allegations about his volunteers being non-professional or pursuing any goals different from business and language training at:
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Peace Corps Moscow chief denies allegations of non-professionalism
Aug 13, 2002
BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union - Political
Text of report by Russian news agency Ekho Moskvy
[No dateline as received] Speaking on Ekho Moskvy, the head of the Peace Corps Moscow mission, Jeff Hay, flatly denied the allegations about his volunteers being non-professional or pursuing any goals different from business and language training.
According to earlier media reports, the Russian authorities refused to extend visas for a number of workers of the US Peace Corps non-governmental organization. Russian officials explained this, in particular, by their non-professionalism.
Hay said that his organization, which has worked in Russia since 1992, experienced certain difficulties with obtaining visas in the past. For example, 10 volunteers did not have their visas extended for the second year in summer 2001. However, the current situation is unprecedented, Hay said.
The Peace Corps intends to continue dialogue with Russian authorities to try to solve the problem, Hay said. He said that Peace Corps representatives met officials from the Russian Ministry of Education in July 2002, who appreciated the efforts by the Peace Corps and discussed priorities for its further work in Russia.
However, Hay said that the Peace Corps may end its activities in Russia at any moment, if the government of the Russian Federation states clearly that it is not interested in them any more.
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Special Reports; Peace Corps - Overseas Programs; COS - Russia