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RBS group says it is ready to discuss RT bank accounts — editor-in-chief

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) incorporates the NatWest bank that froze all the accounts of the Russian television news channel RT in Britain

© AP Photo/Alastair Grant

MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), which incorporates the NatWest bank, has declared it is prepared to discuss its decision to close the RT television channels’ bank accounts in Britain, the broadcaster’s editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan has told TASS.

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"First, in the middle of the day the bank sends us a letter saying the decision is final and not subject to revision and declares it has no intention to discuss the affair. Then a big row follows. Some of the bank’s clients start sending messages, at least they say they are sending messages to the effect they are suspending relations with the bank in a gesture of solidarity with us. Then, late in the evening the bank issues a brief commentary saying that they are considering the situation, that they do not take such things lightly and that they will contact the client to continue the discussion," Simonyan said.

"In other words, at least they have changed their stance and are ready to discuss it - that first message they sent us yesterday saying it was not a subject matter for further debate," Simonyan said.

"No change of the decision is on the agenda for now. At the moment we just have a reply from their PR division," she concluded.

On Monday, Simonyan tweeted the accounts of the Russian television news channel RT in Britain had been frozen. A source in the UK Ministry of Finance told TASS the freeze of the accounts was the bank’s own decision and not new sanctions against Russia. Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said the issue was "a matter for the bank."

National Westminster Bank's letter to RT’s London office

National Westminster Bank's letter to RT’s London office

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