Available in English, Russian, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, the MI6 site has gone live this morning.

The purpose of the site is to clarify what MI6 does and to help it recruit staff, whom it says "share a 'can-do' approach and determination to get the job done".



It says it exists to collect foreign intelligence and provide "a global covert capability to promote and defend the national security and economic well-being of the United Kingdom".

The site also answers questions about the service and its remit, as well as why it is called MI6, and why the chief of the organisation is called "C".

Although it is embracing the new-media age, people wishing to apply for a job at MI6 will have to resort to the old-fashioned method of sending in a CV and a covering letter. But MI6 promises that successful applicants enjoy work that is "stimulating, often exciting, always varied and, in the technical field, often cutting-edge".

MI6 is officially known as the Secret Intelligence Service, and its existence was not formally acknowledged until 1994.

Despite its newfound approachability, MI6 still does not have a press office and will maintain its policy of not commenting on staff or operations.

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