From: Eagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 7/11/2007 5:10 AM
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Britain Reviews Russia Ties
Reuters
LONDON — Britain condemned Russia’s refusal to extradite the main suspect in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko as “unacceptable” on Tuesday and said it was reviewing cooperation with Moscow.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Russia’s response was “extremely disappointing” and that Britain was unsure that suspect Andrei Lugovoi, a former security services officer, would get a fair trial if it were held in Russia.
“We are reviewing the situation and considering what further steps we can take. We consider this a serious matter,” the spokesman said, adding that all options were being considered.
“Russia is an important partner on many issues, and we continue to seek a constructive relationship with them, but given their refusal to cooperate on this matter, we need to carefully consider our range of cooperation on a range of issues.”
Litvinenko, a former FSB officer, died in a London hospital last November after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210.
British prosecutors confirmed that Moscow had sent a formal refusal to extradite Lugovoi to face trial for the murder of Litvinenko.
A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said: “We’ve consistently said that the murder of Mr. Litvinenko is a serious criminal matter. The Russian reply is unacceptable.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement about the allegations against Lugovoi that, “He committed this extraordinarily grave crime here in our capital city.”
Police found a trail of radiation matching Lugovoi’s movements. But Lugovoi has denied any guilt, saying he believed Litvinenko was killed by British intelligence.
Brown’s spokesman said the government remained convinced that Lugovoi should answer the case against him in a British court.
“We do not have full confidence that a trial in Moscow would meet the standards of impartiality and fairness that would be necessary,” the spokesman said.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/07/11/011.html
