The Kremlin has warned Britain it faces “serious consequences” after expelling four Russian diplomats from the UK. The move followed Moscow’s refusal to hand over the former KGB agent accused of murdering Alexander Litvinenko in London last year.
Suspect Andrei Lugovoi, who denies involvement, claimed the charges against him had a “political subtext”.
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Britain will make “no apologies” for expelling the four Russians.
Mr Brown said that because “there is no forthcoming co-operation, then action has to be taken”.
The Foreign Office has not named the four Russian diplomats, but the BBC understands they are intelligence officers.
Anyone else following this story? Russia is becoming increasingly independent of West in its foreign policy. Some days back it pulled out of an arms treaty in Europe. It is also challenging US by developing its own set of missiles to counter the American missile shields plan.
What r the consequences of a strong Russia on the global stage? Can it form a partnership with the Chinese and prove a counter lever to the Western power? Are we sliding back to some sort of cold war again?
... Anyone else following this story? Russia is becoming increasingly independent of West in its foreign policy. Some days back it pulled out of an arms treaty in Europe. It is also challenging US by developing its own set of missiles to counter the American missile shields plan.
What r the consequences of a strong Russia on the global stage? Can it form a partnership with the Chinese and prove a counter lever to the Western power? Are we sliding back to some sort of cold war again?
Nope.
West will simply activate Chechnya again. Maybe this time they'll include Dagestan and Ingushetia in the scenario too. On top of this, the ranting by President Putin is only for show, before he leaves next year.
If the Russians had any real power, they would have a concrete policy for issues relating Iran and Zion but they don't. Currently, Russians just change with the wind.
Anyone else following this story? Russia is becoming increasingly independent of West in its foreign policy. Some days back it pulled out of an arms treaty in Europe. It is also challenging US by developing its own set of missiles to counter the American missile shields plan.
What r the consequences of a strong Russia on the global stage? Can it form a partnership with the Chinese and prove a counter lever to the Western power? Are we sliding back to some sort of cold war again?
I am following this story. I am inclined to believe that kremlin is involved in this. Litvenko "betrayed" KGB(now FSB) in 1998 i guess. This line of thinking gets more weightage considering the fact that putin was the FSB cheif at that time.
and, Russia is somewhat independent of other countries as it has all the natural resources you can think of with themselves(atleast most of them).
But it cannot compete with US the way it did during cold war. It's defence spending is aroung 25 B $ which is way lower than 580 B$ that of US. That too major EU countries were against russia during cold war, so they will side with US here. This would not make russia's influence very strong. The only way would be to arm china so that it takes on the west.
** Russia is to expel four UK embassy staff in the row over Moscow's refusal to extradite the man suspected of Alexander Litvinenko's murder.** The four must leave Russia within 10 days, and Moscow is to review visa applications for UK officials.
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was “disappointed” by what he called a “completely unjustified” move.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin said he thought both countries would overcome the “mini crisis”.
On Monday four Russian embassy staff were expelled from the UK and the visa facilitation process for Russian officials was suspended.
‘Tit-for-tat’
The move was a response to Moscow’s refusal to extradite the man suspected of murdering former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London in November 2006.
Announcing the tit-for-tat response, foreign ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said Moscow would not apply for any UK visas for Russian officials.
He said: “The position of the Brown government is not based on British common sense and reasoning.”
At the Moscow news conference he added: “The measures declared by London recently makes co-operation between Russia and the UK impossible… in the war on terror.”
But President Putin added later: “I think relations between Russia and Britain will develop normally because both countries are interested in this.”
“It is necessary to measure one’s actions against common sense, respect the legitimate interests of partners and everything will be all right. I think we will overcome this mini crisis.”
‘Completely unjustified’
The prime minister’s official spokesman told reporters that Downing Street was examining the implications of non co-operation on terrorism.
Earlier Tony Brenton, Britain’s ambassador in Moscow, was summoned to Russia’s foreign ministry and given “certain messages” to pass on to the Foreign Office in London.
Speaking in London, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said: "We are now studying these measures very carefully to ensure that we understand the detail.
“We are disappointed that the Russian government should have signalled no new co-operation in the case of the extradition of Mr Andrei Lugovoi for the alleged murder of Alexander Litvinenko.”
He added that the decision to expel four British embassy staff was “completely unjustified” and help would be given to them and their families.
But he said he had been heartened by support from the “international community” and “positive statements about the need to defend the integrity of the British judicial system”.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said earlier: “This is an issue of rule of law to our minds, not an issue of politics.”
“It is a matter of Russia co-operating fully in what is simply an effort to solve what was a very terrible crime committed on British soil.”
Mr Litvinenko, an ex-KGB agent who had taken UK citizenship, died of exposure to radioactive polonium-210 in London in November 2006.
Denies involvement
Traces of the radioactive isotope was found in several places visited by another former agent, Andrei Lugovoi.
Mr Lugovoi denies involvement and says he is a witness, not a suspect in the case and has told Russian television that the outcome of the inquiry had been predetermined.
Under the European Convention on Extradition 1957, Russia has the right to refuse the extradition of a citizen and its constitution expressly forbids it from doing so.
The UK has the right to request Mr Lugovoi be tried in Russia, but the UK’s director of public prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald, has already turned down the offer.
The UK’s director of public prosecutions has recommended Mr Lugovoi be tried for murder by “deliberate poisoning”.
Beginning of a new Cold War? All the signs are there. Take your seats and hedge your bets. The West might not actually win it this time.