Read and comment on this story from the Associated Press which contains the response from the US embassy in Moscow to the Russian statement earlier today that Moscow has officially informed Washington of its intention to abandon the agreement concluded with the USA on activity of the Peace Corps on the territory of Russia.
The decision followed increasing Russian criticism of the Peace Corps, ranging from the volunteers' alleged lack of training to their alleged ties with American security services.
The Russian Foreign Ministry softened the charges made earlier today in Pravda as spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said his government was grateful for the Peace Corps' assistance, but that Russia's needs had changed since 1992, when the volunteers first started going to Russia.
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Russia Rejects U.S. Peace Corps
By Associated Press
December 27, 2002, 4:21 PM EST
MOSCOW -- Russia will no longer accept Peace Corps volunteers, after suggesting the workers were spying, the U.S. Embassy said Friday.
The decision followed increasing Russian criticism of the Peace Corps, ranging from the volunteers' alleged lack of training to their alleged ties with American security services.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said his government was grateful for the Peace Corps' assistance, but that Russia's needs had changed since 1992, when the volunteers first started going to Russia.
"Due to the changing economic and social tasks facing our country, we are holding consultations with the American side on how new forms of partnership could be worked out more in line with today's needs," he was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
Earlier this year, the Russian government refused without explanation to issue entry visas for new volunteers or to extend the visas of 30 of the 64 Peace Corps workers already in the country.
The head of Russia's Federal Security Service, Nikolai Patrushev, suggested earlier this month that some volunteers had been spying.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied Patrushev's claims and expressed regret about the decision.
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