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Russia Vetoes House Of Cards At UN

Tristyn Bloom Contributor
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House of Cards’ dreams of taking Frank Underwood to the U.N. were crushed by Russia Tuesday when the Russian delegation blocked the producers’ request to film in the Security Council Chamber, Foreign Policy reports.

The U.N. had been looking forward to the filming, with one diplomat writing that “cooperating with the production would provide an excellent opportunity to raise awareness among a large audience around the world regarding the world of the Security Council, and of the organization in general.”

The Russians waited until the last minute to voice their objections, speaking up just a half-hour before the deadline to do so.

“Upon thorough reflection, we are objecting to the proposed filming in the Security Council,” wrote Russian diplomat Mikael Agasandyan. “We are of [the] opinion that the Security Council premises should be available at any time and on short notice. Besides that, we consistently insist that the Security Council premises are not an appropriate place for filming, staging, etc.”

China was also less than thrilled by the prospect, though, they expressed openness to the filming if Security Council members were first allowed to read and approve the scripts.

The show’s producers had wanted to film two episodes in the chamber and agreed to shoot only late at night and on weekends. “The scenes to be filmed on location would depict a meeting of the Security Council,” reads a diplomatic email to Security Council members, “as well as depicting behind the scenes discussion between ambassadors before and after the council meeting…The executive office of the secretary-general also supports this request.”

The Russians remained unimpressed. “We are of [the] opinion that the Security Council premises should be available at any time and on short notice,” wrote Agasandyan. Besides that, we consistently insist that the Security Council premises are not an appropriate place for filming, staging, etc.”

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