U.S. Congressional Delegation Hindered at Russian Airport (NY Times)

(Anyone seen any other reports on this? And why is Barack Obama hanging out with Dick Lugar? That worries me)

U.S. Congressional Delegation Hindered at Russian Airport

By The New York Times
Published: August 29, 2005

MOSCOW, Aug. 28 - An American Congressional delegation was delayed at a provincial airport in Russia on Sunday as its members tried to leave the country, in an unexplained breach of protocol.

The delegation's aircraft departed only after entreaties from the White House and the State Department resolved a dispute over the group's travels, said Courtney Austrian, a spokeswoman for the American Embassy.

The delegation, led by Senator Richard G. Lugar, the Indiana Republican who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, was held up for three hours at an airport in Perm after local officials refused permission for its plane to depart, Ms. Austrian said. The delay came on the last of a three-day tour of nuclear facilities, including those that have received American financing.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/29/international/europe/29russia.html?ex=1282968000&en=c45210f0358b1746&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
(more at link above)

somehwere in between in the middle of the night. The stopover was suppose to be for 1 hours. We sat there for 5 hours. Never an explanation. Welcome to Russia senators!