Daily Press Briefing -- October 20 (fwd)

[Max Pyziur]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 16:33:06 -0400
From: statelists at STATE.GOV
To: DOSBRIEF at LISTS.STATE.GOV
Subject: Daily Press Briefing -- October 20


*
Daily Press Briefing
Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
October 20, 2006

INDEX:

[...]

RUSSIA
       Suspension of Operations of NGOs that Failed to Properly Register

[...]

QUESTION: I want to follow up on a question from Wednesday on -- regarding the
Russian -- the NGOs in Russia.

MR. CASEY: Sure.

QUESTION: And what is the United States doing? Or can you comment on any
discussions that we're having right now with the Russian Government on this
issue?

MR. CASEY: Well, I do think, as I said previously, that we want to see the NGO
law implemented in a way that's transparent and that facilitates the work of
NGOs in civil society rather than hinders it. Certainly we're continuing to
discuss this situation with the Russian Government. Our embassy is certainly
pursuing this with them.

My understanding of where this issue stands right now is that, of course, the
deadline for re-registration ended effective October 18th, that there have been
some 90 odd NGOs that have now formally been re-registered. There are a number
of others whose applications are still pending but that no foreign NGO has
actually been denied registration.

I'd also note that my understanding under the law is that they have 30 days --
they, meaning the Russian Government, have 30 days to process applications from
the time they've filed. And I think at this point it is still within those 30
days for the Russian Government to consider it. But we definitely are
continuing to encourage the Russian Government to move as fast as they can on
these applications because we think it's important that the NGOs be allowed to
continue their programs and continue their work.

[...]


(The briefing was concluded at 1:13 p.m.)


DPB #170


Released on October 20, 2006

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