Russia expelled four British diplomats Thursday and suspended
cooperation with London on fighting terrorism, as a bitter row over
Moscow's refusal to extradite a murder suspect escalated.
The Kremlin said Russia had been forced into a "proportionate
response" after Britain threw out four Russian diplomats earlier
this week.
Foreign Ministry chief spokesman Mikhail Kamynin told reporters
the British ambassador had been summoned and handed a note about
"the unfriendly actions of Britain towards Russia".
"Four British Embassy staff in Moscow are now persona non grata
and they should leave the territory of the Russian Federation
within 10 days," Kamynin said.
British Ambassador
to Moscow Tony Brenton leaves Russia's Foreign Ministry in Moscow
July 19, 2007.
Britain called the expulsions "completely unjustified" and said
it was disappointed Moscow had not signaled any fresh cooperation
in the case of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian security
agent murdered in London last year.
The United States and the European Union both weighed in with
declarations of support for Britain and asked Russia to reconsider
its refusal to cooperate. Moscow says its constitution prohibits
the extradition of its citizens.
British prosecutors have charged Andrei Lugovoy, a former KGB
bodyguard, with killing Litvinenko by spiking his tea with lethal
radioactive polonium in a London hotel. Lugovoy denies the
allegations.
Russia will also stop issuing visas to British officials and
cease cooperation with London in the war on terror, Kamynin said,
adding that Russia's response was the "minimum necessary".
Analysts in Moscow said Russia had reacted with relative
restraint to Britain's moves and noted official statements
emphasizing a desire not to affect business ties between the two
nations, which are booming.
(China Daily via agencies July 20, 2007)
