RT @jgmaber: Need to catch up on the state of politics in Tajikistan? @nateschenkkan provides useful summary, context freedomhouse.org/blog/need-chan…
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Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill
Elizabeth Smith was created a peer in 1995 following the death of her husband, Rt Hon John Smith M.P. who was the Leader of the Labour Party at the time of his early death at the age of 55.
Baroness Smith is a member of the board of several organisations with interests in Russia and FSU countries. She also has interests in culture and the arts and is the President of Scotland’s national opera company, Scottish Opera as well as being Chairman of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Her other positions include being an Advisory Council Member of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce; Vice Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Russia; Governor of the English Speaking Union; Board Member of the Centre for European Reform and a Trustee of the Mariinsky Theatre Trust.
Greg Hands MP
Greg Hands was elected Conservative MP for Chelsea and Fulham in the 2010 general election.
Greg attend Robinson College, Cambridge where he was awarded a first in modern history in 1989. During his gap year he worked in a swimming pool in Berlin, and first became interested in the Eastern Bloc, and visited Prague, and other Eastern European cities in future holidays. He worked on trading floors in the City of London and New York City until 1997
Greg is a specialist in Germany, Russia, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Greg is also Treasurer of the All-Party Russia Group.
