British Council - Why this discrimination??

A member, who came across this press release of the British Council on its Official website
(http://www.britishcouncil.org/press-notices.htm ) , points out the British Council's blatant hypocrisy, discrimination against India, and asks the following questions.

The full text of the British Council's press release is given below , with the reader's comments marked in bold.

British Council - Press Statement

STATEMENT ON BRITISH COUNCIL RUSSIA

London, 15 January 2008 : The British Council is an independent cultural relations
organisation. We are dismayed that we have been embroiled in what is evidently a political dispute. (We are dismayed about the British Council policy of closing down its library in Trivandrum in India, which is administered by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations) The British Council is entitled to operate in Russia in accordance with both international law and Russian law under the 1963 Vienna Convention of Consular Relations and the 1994 Russian/UK agreement. (Who cancelled this entitlement in India??) The British Council is registered for tax in Russia, its name and logo are registered, and it has complied with all the requests of the Russian authorities in respect of tax and other legislation. We are a not for profit organisation and do not carry out any income generating activity in Russia. (The closure of the libraries in India is in spite of the profits earned from Library operations and profits from Educational services marketing )


In light of this, and in response to the high demand for our educational and cultural programmes from Russian partners and people, staff returned to work as planned in St Petersburg on the 14th January and in Ekaterinburg on the 9th of January. (Why is the demand of library members and people in India not considered!!?? )


At 12.00 yesterday the British ambassador was summoned by the Russian Authorities where he was handed a Memorandum which noted that our decision to re-open was viewed as a “deliberate provocation, aimed at raising tensions in Russian-British relations.” Contrary to these claims, the re-opening of our offices was not intended as a provocative or defiant act on the part of the British Council, but rather was done in good faith with the intention of continuing discussions with the Russian authorities and finding a swift resolution which will allow us to continue with our work in cultural and educational links. (Why was a request from the Chief Minister of Kerala(of which Trivandrum is the capital) , along with an offer of teh present building and any other support required for the library to continue, turned down???)


The British Council, in consultation with the Embassy, is now studying the points raised by the Russian authorities and the implications these have for our staff and operations. We hope that we will be able to resolve this situation with the Russian Authorities and that our work in cultural and educational links will be able to continue. (Why was the implication on staff in Trivandrum not considered? It is learnt that they will have to move out of their present positions.Why is it important only in Russia and not in India? )

There are no winners in this situation.(In Trivandrum, it seems the British Council has won, and the library members and the city of Trivandrum have been cruelly defeated) Our dedicated and skilled Russian staff will lose their jobs, our Russian partners and customers will lose the opportunities to engage with the UK and learn from each other, and young people and professionals in Russia and the UK, the next generation of leaders in business and other walks of life, will miss out on the opportunity to build friendships and develop relationships which ultimately increase long term understanding between the UK and Russia. (Doesn't Trivandrum and India have youngsters, professionals and next generation leaders???)




If you have any queries please contact Clare Sears in the British Council press
office on + 44 (0) 20 7389 4872 or email: Clare.Sears@britishcouncil.org


Notes to Editors:

• The British Council works in 110 countries worldwide to build intercultural understanding between the UK and other countries through the arts, education and training, science and technology, sport, good governance and human rights. Our income in 2006/07 was £551m, of which grant-in-aid from the British government was £195m.

For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org