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RUSSIAN POLITICIAN CRITICISES AMERICAN AUTHORITIES FOR DISCRIMINATING AGAINST RUSSIANS RECEIVING AMERICAN ENTRY VISAS

MOSCOW, January 18, 2002. /RIA Novosti correspondent Alexandra Chebanu/--Boris Nemtsov, leader of the Russian Union of Right Forces (SPS) party, has criticised US authorities for more stringent procedures introduced for Russians to obtain American entry visas, in particular an additional application questionnaire.

As is noted in an open letter by Nemtsov to US President George W. Bush, received by RIA Novosti on Friday, this step "in no way corresponds to the level of mutual understanding and mutual support that emerged between our countries following the tragic events of September 11th".

"Russia has suffered from terrorism to no less extent than the US, but we did not start building up an 'iron curtain'," Nemtsov says in his letter to the American president.

According to the SPS leader, "it is impossible to guarantee security by shutting oneself off from one's partners and allies." The Union of Right Forces considers "unacceptable an encroachment on one of the fundamental democratic norms - the right to free travel," Nemtsov says.

He believes that the decision to introduce an additional application questionnaire for Russian citizens wishing to enter America was dictated "not by evil intent, but by the natural state of affect prompted by the September events".

"We expect that the traditional American common sense will prevail and hope that the US administration will revoke its discriminatory act," the SPS leader emphasised.