04/02/2004

Churchill celebrated ahead of Yalta conference anniversary

A Churchill Room in the Livadia Palace, in Yalta, Ukraine, will be opened on Friday to coincide with the 59th anniversary of the Yalta conference, it has been announced.

The Livadia Palace was the setting of the 1945 Yalta conference, one of the 'Big Three' wartime meetings between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin that decided the fate of the post-war world. The room will complement the Palace's existing room dedicated to former US President Franklin D Roosevelt.

The 1945 Yalta conference was one of a series of meetings that contributed to the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. At the conference the Soviet Union agreed to enter the war against Japan and did not obstruct the formation of the UN. Churchill also secured agreement for a French zone of occupation in Germany and French participation in the Control Commission for occupied Germany.

Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell said the dedication to Churchill a "fitting tribute to the significant role he played at the Yalta conference". He also paid tribute to Churchill's granddaughter, Lady Soames, for her energy in securing the commemoration.

Lady Soames said: "I am delighted to hear that that the Churchill Room at the Livadia Palace will be opened. I am extremely pleased that the FCO and the British Embassy in Kiev have been able to realise this project together with the Livadia Palace".

The British Embassy in Kiev and the British Council arranged for Churchill-related material to be sent to the Livadia Palace. Other organisations and the Churchill family also donated memorabilia. Computer and video equipment will allow visitors to watch footage of Churchill, hear his key speeches and see copies of original documents.

The Livadia Palace built as a summer residence for Tsar Nicolas 2, overlooks the Black Sea and is a popular destination for Ukrainian and Russian tourists.

(gmcg)

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