By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-245-37.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.245.37) on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 3:04 pm: Edit Post |
Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev said on Thursday UK charity Merlin and the US Peace Corps were among NGOs used to gather information
Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev said on Thursday UK charity Merlin and the US Peace Corps were among NGOs used to gather information
West denies Russia spying charge
FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev
Patrushev said opponents wanted to weaken Moscow's influence
UK and US diplomats have denied allegations from Moscow that non-governmental organisations from their countries are spying on Russia.
Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev said on Thursday UK charity Merlin and the US Peace Corps were among NGOs used to gather information.
The Saudi Red Crescent and an organisation from Kuwait were also accused of espionage.
Mr Patrushev said foreign NGOs were also plotting revolution in Belarus.
At least $5m (£2.6m) has been funnelled to opposition groups in Belarus for 2005, he said.
The US has called Belarus "Europe's last dictatorship".
'Unconventional methods'
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says Mr Patrushev's comments reflect a growing belief among Russians that the West is plotting to undermine their country.
But a statement from the US embassy in Moscow denied the allegations.
"The US government categorically rejects charges... that American non-governmental organisations are being used to carry out intelligence operations against Russia under the guise of charitable and other activities," it said.
A similar statement by the UK embassy described the allegations as "wholly false".
Speaking to Russia's parliament on Thursday, Mr Patrushev - who heads the FSB, a successor to the Soviet KGB - said Russia's opponents were trying to weaken Moscow's influence in the former Soviet Union and elsewhere.
"Foreign secret services are more actively using unconventional methods in their work and are using the teaching programmes of various NGOs to promote their interests."
The US Peace Corps, one of the organisations mentioned, pulled out of Russia in 2002 amid spying allegations.
The British medical group Merlin has been helping to fight TB in Russia for nearly a decade.
When this story was posted in May 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:Read the stories and leave your comments.
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
The Peace Corps Library
Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. If you have a web site, support the "Peace Corps Library" and link to it today.
May 7, 2005: Special Events
"Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30
"American Taboo" author Phil Weiss in Maryland on June 18
Leland Foerster opens photo exhibition at Cal State
RPCV Writers scholarship in Baltimore - deadline June 1
Gary Edwards' music performed in Idaho on May 24
RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.
Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong
170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.