allesennogwat
07-12-2007, 05:53 AM
LONDON - - A growing rift between Russia and Britain over the London murder of a former Russian agent prompted warnings Thursday of a full scale diplomatic conflict, complete with tit-for-tat expulsions.
Newspapers and analysts in both countries said the row over Moscow's refusal to extradite the chief suspect in the case, Andrei Lugovoi, risked blowing bilateral ties back to the Cold War era.
According to British newspaper reports, London is considering expelling Russian diplomats to protest what it sees as Moscow's non-cooperation with the investigation into the poisoning murder of intelligence agent-turned-Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko.
An unidentified government insider was quoted by the Financial Times as saying that the British government "is looking at a range of options."
"There is a process going on at the moment in which those options are being examined. But you can expect something to be announced to parliament very soon," the source told the business daily.
The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, quoted a former diplomat familiar with Russia as saying that it was "entirely likely" that Britain could expel a "handful" of middle- and lower-ranking diplomats.
A spokeswoman for the British foreign ministry told AFP that the government was "considering our response to what the Russians have said" but added that "no decisions have been taken."
The Guardian daily, without citing its sources, said that other options on the table were the withdrawal of cooperation in a variety of issues, such as trade, counter-terrorism and education.
British prosecutors allege that Lugovoi used a rare radioactive isotope to poison Litvinenko in November last year, and want him extradited to Britain to face trial.
Russia has so far refused -- a stance that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband warned would be met "with the seriousness which it deserves."
In Russia, the pro-government daily Izvestia said Britain's harsh rhetoric was an attempt by newly appointed Prime Minister Gordon Brown to appear strong.
Following failed car bombings in London and Glasgow in late June, "Brown has clearly not abandoned his military-heroic posture. And he's decided to teach Russia a lesson," Izvestia wrote.
"Does Brown really have no enemy scarier than Russia? It's as though it were Russians blowing up London buses and metro cars, planning terrorist acts at airports."
The respected Kommersant daily warned that the dispute could spiral into "a full-scale diplomatic conflict" and quoted a series of commentators on the likely consequences of retaliatory measures London has said it is considering.
"I hope they will not roll back political and economic relations between us. Otherwise we'll slide into a new cold war," Yury Kobaladze, a former intelligence officer in Britain, said.
"Britain has no legal levers over Russia," former deputy foreign minister Georgy Kunadze said, warning that "a policy of pressure is counterproductive. Russia can also think up non-standard steps in response."
Newspapers and analysts in both countries said the row over Moscow's refusal to extradite the chief suspect in the case, Andrei Lugovoi, risked blowing bilateral ties back to the Cold War era.
According to British newspaper reports, London is considering expelling Russian diplomats to protest what it sees as Moscow's non-cooperation with the investigation into the poisoning murder of intelligence agent-turned-Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko.
An unidentified government insider was quoted by the Financial Times as saying that the British government "is looking at a range of options."
"There is a process going on at the moment in which those options are being examined. But you can expect something to be announced to parliament very soon," the source told the business daily.
The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, quoted a former diplomat familiar with Russia as saying that it was "entirely likely" that Britain could expel a "handful" of middle- and lower-ranking diplomats.
A spokeswoman for the British foreign ministry told AFP that the government was "considering our response to what the Russians have said" but added that "no decisions have been taken."
The Guardian daily, without citing its sources, said that other options on the table were the withdrawal of cooperation in a variety of issues, such as trade, counter-terrorism and education.
British prosecutors allege that Lugovoi used a rare radioactive isotope to poison Litvinenko in November last year, and want him extradited to Britain to face trial.
Russia has so far refused -- a stance that British Foreign Secretary David Miliband warned would be met "with the seriousness which it deserves."
In Russia, the pro-government daily Izvestia said Britain's harsh rhetoric was an attempt by newly appointed Prime Minister Gordon Brown to appear strong.
Following failed car bombings in London and Glasgow in late June, "Brown has clearly not abandoned his military-heroic posture. And he's decided to teach Russia a lesson," Izvestia wrote.
"Does Brown really have no enemy scarier than Russia? It's as though it were Russians blowing up London buses and metro cars, planning terrorist acts at airports."
The respected Kommersant daily warned that the dispute could spiral into "a full-scale diplomatic conflict" and quoted a series of commentators on the likely consequences of retaliatory measures London has said it is considering.
"I hope they will not roll back political and economic relations between us. Otherwise we'll slide into a new cold war," Yury Kobaladze, a former intelligence officer in Britain, said.
"Britain has no legal levers over Russia," former deputy foreign minister Georgy Kunadze said, warning that "a policy of pressure is counterproductive. Russia can also think up non-standard steps in response."