ABSTRACT
The principal item of business discussed with Messrs Surkov, Matkovsky and Masko when the author first met them in London had been the conference under joint auspices to be held in their country in 1974. The costs, apart from our delegation’s international air fares, and organisational responsibility would be borne by the USSR-Great-Britain Society. In January 1997 at the All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature the author gave a lecture about his years in the field of British-Russian relations. Despite an invitation, nobody came from the British Embassy. Many of the cultural personalities appearing in this book were present. As for the proposed conference they said they e hoped for a get-together in quiet surroundings by two small groups of experts from each side, who might be able to identify areas of possible common ground which might in turn lead to some ongoing dialogue and co-operation.
