Dear Editors:

In reference to Heinrich Vogel's article "Moskauer Sprueche" that your
newspaper ran on October 18, 2007

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/ausland/artikel/863/138579/

and its Russian translation

http://www.newsru.com/russia/22oct2007/pear.html

I must protest Mr. Vogel's libelous attack on the integrity and honor of
the Russia & America Goodwill Associates (RAGA) and me, its founder and
president.

Neither myself, nor any other RAGA associate, was "in 2006 hired by the
Kremlin" to do its PR bidding, as the article alleges. Nor have any of
us received any pay, any other remunerations or privileges from either
the Putin administration or any other branch of the Russian government.

RAGA associates are not hirelings of any government. We are what we say
we are: "an association of Americans who believe it is in the U.S.
national interest to foster friendship with Russia on the basis of
mutual Good Will and non-interference in each other's affairs." As a
non-governmental, non-profit organization, we focus on improving
inter-cultural communications. We take no money from either the Russian
or U.S. government.

If some of our authors appear "pro-Russian" or "pro-Putin", such "slant"
comes from their own knowledge and conviction, and we do not censor
them. To imply that any Westerner writing favorably about Russia or its
leaders must do so for mercenary reasons, as Mr. Vogel does, offends the
honor of such writers and maligns the country we seek to engage in
peaceful dialogue.

We do not engage in political propaganda for any government. We regard
the inclusion of RAGA among those firms that allegedly were called upon
by the Kremlin to participate in Soviet-style propaganda on behalf of
Putin's government as defamatory and damaging to our reputation.

Therefore, we respectfully request you promptly publish this letter in
both electronic and paper editions of your paper to undo the damage done
by Mr. Vogel.

We also ask you to forward this letter to Mr.Vogel, as we expect his
apologies for erroneously including RAGA in his article.

Sincerely,

----------------------
W.George Krasnow, Ph.D.
President, RAGA
www.raga.org < http://www.raga.org/>