The World Cup 바카라 사이트does not belong to Vladimir Putin바카라 사이트 and an England boycott would only cheat fans: article by Boris Johnson
Writing in The Sun newspaper, the Foreign Secretary highlights cooperation between the UK and Russia ahead of the World Cup and continued concerns for the Kremlin's behaviour in Europe and around the world
It was only three months ago that Sergei and Yulia Skripal were cruelly poisoned by a military grade nerve agent called novichok 바카라 사이트 a crime made all the more appalling for taking place in the quiet town of Salisbury in Wiltshire.
As it became clear that there was only one plausible culprit 바카라 사이트 the Russian state 바카라 사이트 I found people asked me questions in tones of increasing outrage.
- Why did we not just boycott Putin바카라 사이트s football World Cup
- How could we possibly allow him to bathe in the glory of this superlative tournament
- Surely the England team 바카라 사이트 and their thousands of fans 바카라 사이트 should cancel their trip in protest
My friends: There was never the slightest chance that England would boycott the Russian World Cup, and for very good reason. It would have been unfair on the team 바카라 사이트 young athletes who have trained so hard for what is the summit of their careers. It would have been unfair on the fans 바카라 사이트 who simply want to enjoy the sport without the intrusion of politics.
And above all we in this country have no quarrel with Russia, or the Russian people. And for the Russian people this World Cup is of course a moment of terrific pride and excitement. Our dispute is solely with the current administration of the Kremlin, and that is why we and our global friends pulled off the biggest expulsion of Russian spies in the history of diplomacy.
A total of 28 countries and Nato expelled 153 Russian spies around the world 바카라 사이트 and I bet the Kremlin hadn바카라 사이트t bargained for that. And so now there is a different question. We have at least 10,000 England fans travelling to Russia, at a time of heightened tension between the two governments.
Worried constituents have been asking me: How can we guarantee the safety of the England fans? So I want once again to stress that there is nothing but friendship and admiration between the people of Britain and the people of Russia 바카라 사이트 nations that fought together against tyranny in the 20th century. And that friendship has allowed us to work together 바카라 사이트 irrespective of politics 바카라 사이트 on sensible precautions.
For months now our police have been travelling to Russia to meet their counterparts, and the Russian police have been in this country to share experience of crowd safety techniques. Wherever there is an England match played, there will be British police and UK consular staff.
The British Consulate in St Petersburg 바카라 사이트 which the Russians decided to close in the upheavals that followed the Salisbury poisonings 바카라 사이트 will be allowed to stay open until after the World Cup. I have sent extra Foreign Office consular staff to Russia 바카라 사이트 and the Russians have been very reasonable in granting them visas. Our teams will be on duty around the clock to respond to requests for help.
The Foreign Office has set up a special World Cup advice web site called 바카라 사이트Be On the Ball바카라 사이트. I hope that everyone thinking of going to Russia will consult it. The Russians have promised a safe World Cup not just to Fifa but to 31 visiting countries and we will all hold them to that pledge. Let바카라 사이트s face it: Vladimir Putin simply cannot afford to see this World Cup, on which he has lavished so many billions, descend into ugly scenes involving fans from England or anywhere else.
His prestige is on the line.
And of course no matter how extravagant and exciting the ceremonies it will be impossible for any of us completely to ignore the realities of Russian behaviour in Europe and around the world. It is Putin바카라 사이트s Russia that has been responsible for downing MH17; for cyberwarfare; for fanning the flames of conflict in Ukraine and for poisoning British citizens in Wiltshire.
It was certainly Putin바카라 사이트s Russia that won the right to host the World Cup. But this World Cup does not belong to the Kremlin. It belongs to football fans everywhere in the world.