16/07/2007

Russian diplomats expelled from UK

The government has announced that four Russian diplomats will be expelled from the country's embassy in London following Moscow's refusal to extradite the main suspect in the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the Commons that this was a "situation the government has not sought and does not welcome", but said that they had "no choice" but to address it.

Mr Miliband also said that co-operation with Russia on a range of issues would now be reviewed and that visa negotiations had also been suspended.

Mr Litvinenko, a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died in a London hospital at the end of last November, after falling ill earlier that month. A large dose of radioactive substance polonium-210 was found in his body.

Prosecutors in Britain want another former KGB officer, Andrei Lugovoi to stand trial in the UK for Mr Litvinenko's murder.

However, Russia has refused to extradite Mr Lugovoi, who denies involvement in the murder.

(KMcA/JM)


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