So it seems that Usmanov is reverting to type following last week’s smarm offensive. Usmanov had a group of journalists of the highest integrity (I wrote that with a straight face!) flown to Moscow in a private jet and put up at the 5 star Kempinski Hotel. This is an extract of the report of the ensuing pressconference by David Bond of the Daily Telegraph:
...The former British ambassador to the former Soviet state, Craig Murray, faced legal action after launching an extraordinary attack on him using his internet blog.
Then Thomas Wise, a little known British member for the European Parliament, accused him of being a "gangster and racketeer". Picking up on his remarks the Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood, when asked about Usmanov's involvement, referred to the mining entrepreneur's "murky" business past.
So, in an effort to dispel the mystery and set the record straight, Usmanov invited British journalists to Moscow, to explain his side of the story.
Speaking from his office, on the top floor of Metalloinvest, his mining company, which has a staggering turnover of $4bn a year, he said: "You cannot respond in kind to everything everyone directs at you. My conviction was false and it was proved to be a provocation by the Uzbeki KGB.
"I don't live in Uzbekistan. I am not even a citizen of Uzbekistan. I only visit the graves of my parents once a year. People talking about me as an Uzbeki businessman with shady dealings in narcotics? It's beyond my dignity to respond to all these allegations. One of the papers quoted Craig Murray, the ex UK ambassador, I don't even want to qualify what Mr Murray says about me....
“People talking about me as an Uzbeki businessman with shady dealings in narcotics?” I think we owe Usmanov an unreserved apology for saying this. From now on I will make absolutely sure I call him a RUSSIAN businessman with shady dealings in narcotics!
Anyway it seems that its back to business as usual for Usmanov. I wonder how many more people will start repeating Murray’s allegations after his next round of bully boy tactics?
3 comments:
Excuse me, but Russians aren't named Burkhan, a Turkic name, and they don't name their sons Alisher, a Persian name, Uzbeks do.
He may live in Russia, but one look and you know he isn't Russian.
He attended Moscow State and made contact with the children of the elite, and then used them to muscle his way into the Soviet system.
Karimov is another Central Asian who muscled his way in.
Yeah... Put me up in Kempinski for a few days (not necessarily in Moscow, though), all things paid for, and see what I shall produce ;-)
Indeed, Bryan. It's just another bit of dissembling nonsense from a liar and a crook!
Snoopy I have no idea what one of these hotels is like bu I ould imagine hat I would praise him to the high heavens after that sort of buttering up!
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