The St. Petersburg office of the British Council will continue to work this year despite a demand by the Russian government that the council close down its regional offices in Russia with effect from Jan. 1, a British Council source said on Thursday.
The staff of the St. Petersburg office of the British Council will return to work on Jan. 14 after their vocation, the source was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying.
The Dec. 12 demand by the Russian Foreign Ministry that the council shut its offices in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg from Jan. 1 was unlawful, the source said.
Earlier on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin warned in a commentary posted on the ministry website that disregard for the ministry's demand would be fraught with "fanning tension in bilateral relations."
The British Council is one of Britain's organizations for cultural relations with overseas countries. It puts emphasis on educational opportunities.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article