There is another profile of Alisher Usmanov in the Guardian today which gives him an easy ride. But the Guardian also publish on the web the full text of their email interview, which is much more revealing:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/russia/article/0,,2212432,00.html
Given that these email answers will almost certainly have been provided in close consultation with Schillings and Finsbury, they are not very convincing in many areas. The Guardian’s excellent David Conn has also done some good digging.
The Guardian pretty effectively kill off Schillings’ lie that Gorbachev was responsible for Usmanov’s pardon. And there is strong proof of my statement that Karimov fixed it for him – The Guardian show that Usmanov himself was on record as telling David Owen so nine years ago. This fits ill with Usmanov’s denial now of having any relationship with Karimov.
Perhaps most damning is Usmanov’s admission of his relationship with Gafur Rakhimov. I am constantly aware that it is difficult for me to get the context of this over to those not versed in Uzbekistan affairs. But his latest statement on this is the equivalent of saying “I only knew Mr Capone because he was a neighbour of my parents.” Again, reading the interview carefully, this fits ill with Usmanov’s previous admissions to meeting with Rakhimov every time he goes to Tashkent, even if “Only” for an hour.
My sources are well-placed Uzbeks, but it is very heartening that Usmanov in his propaganda interviews has confirmed the facts that I was told. His Sunday Times interview confirmed his key relationship since student times with Jastrzebski, Putin’s long time chef de cabinet. We now have proof from the Guardian that it was indeed Karimov who fixed his pardon, and of his relationship with Rakhimov. It is also worth noting that my sources never claimed the rape allegation resulted in a conviction – the Guardian asked the wrong question here, apparently misled by other, Russian, sources.
The Guardian still miss a couple of points – for example, Usmanov had just bought Kommersant when Safronov mysteriously fell from the window.
What a pity that Usmanov now says he is too busy to sue. Otherwise the truth could be established.
I'm glad you thought today's Guardian piece was helpful to your case, Craig, because I read it and was about to post something along the lines of "what's the going rate in roubles for a 2 page splash special feature in the Guardian these days, Mr Rusbridger?"
I'm just going off the piece in the printed rag but it struck me that the author, one Ian Cobain, wasn't coming across as a very good investigative reporter. Maybe the hack on the emails side of the story did a better job, but as far as the print edition is concerned, just reporting that Usmanov hotly denies this or denies that – I mean, what do you expect him to do? Yet, given the chance to sue, he doesn't do it.
And the heartwarming tale of a freshly released entrepreneur building up his little plastic bags business before moving into "a number of banking interests" and "acquiring steel, timber and mining concerns". Excuse me, Mr Cobain, but this is no way to portray to the gentle Guardian reader how any Russian oligarch got to be where he got to be. Any oligarch has had to have been, and remain, a totally ruthless gangster, killer and merciless looter, thief and exploiter to get anywhere near the top of the pile in the gangster capitalist state that was 90s Russia.
What's the official story about the death of the Russian journalist Ivan Safronov, Craig? Is he the same guy that you yourself went to Russia to look into the case of? Why wasn't Usmanov asked what he thinks about the deaths of all these journalists, and whether he believes the official explanations? His reply may have helped us to get a better measure of the man.
There is a good link here Mr Murray relating to Putin and his power struggle with the oligarchs.
http://fufor.twoday.net/stories/4472773/
To: Mr Murray
from: Muzaffar Ismoilov
subject: Alisher Usmonov
Hi, my name is Muzaffar, i'm Uzbek and I have a comment on your views about ALisher Usmanov.
Being a BSW(social work) student and most of all, a resident of Uzbekitan, I strongly disagree with most of your points since they're all biased and even fabricated, just think about it – the whole world is just like that, i mean everything is all about business, take the US 4xample; the war in Iraq is all about geopolitical influence and oil in the first place. And DO YOU KNOW that some of the HUGE US corporation leaders have always had ties with MAFIA, they still do, and will always influence US policies overseas, right. Chelsea for example, is now of the finest world clubs due to Russian investments. Every other UK resident wants to greet Mr. Abramamovich in person. As for our country however, we have had tremendous changes by now brought about by foreign investments and particularly due to Alisher Usmonov's policies. The situation is way better since the time you, SIR, were kicked out of this country because of your immoral behaviour with Uzbekistani prostitutes. how can you claim he is a criminal if you can't even prove his guilt, what you said above are just nothing but rumors.
You, Mr. Murray, are the one to be refered to as criminal and charged with SEXUAL DEPRAVITY or even a harrasment since you were hanging out with underage non adult females at Tashkent nightclubs, namely SKY CLUB, while you were working as a British ambassador in Uzbekistan. You organized round table with bunch of idiots whose minds you could easily manipulate with your democracy propoganda and lost your job as a result. why don't you think broadly about Central Asia from now on. P.S. life never stays the same and people like Alisher Usmanov are the ones to make a REAL DIFFERENCE, but never people like you SIR !!!!
Happy New year once again