"We agreed that Lord Chancellor of the House of Lords will visit Russia either at the end of 2004 or in 2005. Our parliaments have not exchanged visits at this level for a long time. The latest was a visit by the speaker of the Federation Council in 1995. We think that such long breaks in visits by heads of upper houses of the Russian and British parliaments are not normal in the context of a truly high level of our bilateral relations," Mikhail Margelov told RIA Novosti at the end of his working visit to London.
"We agreed that the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council will provide a venue this September for holding a seminar on the British Council's activities in Russia," Mikhail Margelov added.
In the course of his visit, the Russian senator met with leaders of both houses of British Parliament, the Foreign Office and other government agencies.
"I am quite satisfied with the results of my visit. Both the legislative and executive branches of British power have shown genuine interest in developing our bilateral relations. I am particularly convinced that the latter will expand successfully now after it was ascertained through a thorough interrogation and search by the British police that I pose no threat for the British Empire," Mikhail Margelov said jokingly.
On July 21, during his stay in London, Margelov was stopped by the Whitehall police just across No. 10 Downing Street. The policemen questioned the Russian parliamentarian, searched his personal belongings, drew up a report on the incident and then released him. They referred to Britain's Counter Terrorism Act of 2001 for justification of their actions.
