ID :
154350
Wed, 12/22/2010 - 13:06
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http://m.oananews.org//node/154350
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UK-Russia expel diplomats
London, Dec 22, IRNA – Britain and Russia have become embroiled in another tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats despite attempts by Foreign Secretary William Hague to repair relations that have been at their lowest ebb since the days of the Cold War.
The expulsion in a renewed row over spying comes at a time when Britain is seeking to deport a Russian parliamentary researcher suspected of espionage activity.
'On 10 December we requested that the Russian Embassy in London withdraw a member of their staff from the UK.” Hague announced in a written parliamentary statement Tuesday.
'This was in response to clear evidence of activities by the Russian intelligence services against UK interests. Russia responded on 16 December by requesting the removal of a member of our embassy staff in Moscow. We reject any basis for this action,” he said.
Bilateral relations deteriorated following a dispute over the killing of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006 that led to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions at the time and the closure of two British Council offices.
The UK had sought to extradite former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi to face trial for the murder, but according to US cables recently published by Wikileaks, Russia was tracking the assassins of the dissident before he was poisoned but was warned off by Britain.
In October, Hague made his first official visit to Moscow, saying that while relations have been strained by a number of serious issues, he would be “exploring the scope to address those differences.”
“The door is open to better relations between Britain and Russia; we shall see if a door opens in return,' he said in a statement when he arrived in Russia.
In the statement at the time, the British foreign secretary reiterated that Russia was “an important partner for the UK, on a wide range of international issues, including Iran's nuclear programme and the Middle East Peace Process.”
Last year, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee called on the previous Labour government to adopt a “hard-headed” approach to Russia following the deterioration in relations.
“Russia has attempted to create a sphere of influence over other former Soviet States through the threat and use not just of military action, but increasingly through the use of foreign policy tools such as energy,” the all-party committee of MPs warned.
“Russia has valid interests in those countries that surround it, but to allow undue Russian influence in these countries would risk increasing Russian assertiveness and possibly compromise the sovereignty of these states,” it said./end
The expulsion in a renewed row over spying comes at a time when Britain is seeking to deport a Russian parliamentary researcher suspected of espionage activity.
'On 10 December we requested that the Russian Embassy in London withdraw a member of their staff from the UK.” Hague announced in a written parliamentary statement Tuesday.
'This was in response to clear evidence of activities by the Russian intelligence services against UK interests. Russia responded on 16 December by requesting the removal of a member of our embassy staff in Moscow. We reject any basis for this action,” he said.
Bilateral relations deteriorated following a dispute over the killing of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006 that led to tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions at the time and the closure of two British Council offices.
The UK had sought to extradite former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi to face trial for the murder, but according to US cables recently published by Wikileaks, Russia was tracking the assassins of the dissident before he was poisoned but was warned off by Britain.
In October, Hague made his first official visit to Moscow, saying that while relations have been strained by a number of serious issues, he would be “exploring the scope to address those differences.”
“The door is open to better relations between Britain and Russia; we shall see if a door opens in return,' he said in a statement when he arrived in Russia.
In the statement at the time, the British foreign secretary reiterated that Russia was “an important partner for the UK, on a wide range of international issues, including Iran's nuclear programme and the Middle East Peace Process.”
Last year, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee called on the previous Labour government to adopt a “hard-headed” approach to Russia following the deterioration in relations.
“Russia has attempted to create a sphere of influence over other former Soviet States through the threat and use not just of military action, but increasingly through the use of foreign policy tools such as energy,” the all-party committee of MPs warned.
“Russia has valid interests in those countries that surround it, but to allow undue Russian influence in these countries would risk increasing Russian assertiveness and possibly compromise the sovereignty of these states,” it said./end
