'Ireland's next generation talent vacuum weapon'

By Waterford Whispers News

Russian deputy foreign minister Vladimir Titov retracted earlier statements made during the week regarding his expulsion from the country after the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs threatened to send Brian Dowling to Moscow.

Mr Titov said that Ireland’s decision to expel him over the use of forged Irish passports by a spy ring uncovered in the US last year was "clearly an unfriendly step that will not go unanswered”.

According to several reports in Russian news papers, including the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency, the statement “It will not go without a corresponding reaction" will also be retracted and a full apology will be given to the Irish government by the end of this week.

In a written statement from the Russian embassy it read 'It is in Russia's best interests that the Brian Dowling threat does not go ahead as it would devastate both the spirit and integrity of the country. We retract any remarks made by our silly ex-foreign minister.

At a press conference today a spokesman for the embassy read: "Our government is truly sorry for this terrible mistake. It is unfortunate that your country had to resort to such levels. A full apology will be sent from our prime minister Vladimir Putin by the end of this week. We ask that you please stand down your threat.

"Now that this matter has been dealt with, we hope we can move on and develop the very good relationship which exists between Ireland and Russia on so many other levels."

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it had Brian Dowling ready to fly to Moscow yesterday afternoon.

A spokesman for for the department said they had no qualms about sending him.

"Mr Dowling was placed, along with over 3,000 hours of his greatest TV moments, on a Boeing 737 in Dublin airport. We planned to fly him straight into Moscow to meet with the local TV stations and press.

"Fortunately for the Russian public, we received an formal apology at 8am this morning." he added.

David Cooney, the secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, told Russian ambassador Mikhail Timoshkin that the threat of Brian Dowling was “completely necessary”.

The ambassador was also told that Brian Dowling will be kept at Dublin airport until the department receives the full apology from the Russian PM.