Russia will offer a precisely targeted and adequate reaction to Britain's decision to expel four Russian diplomats following Moscow's refusal to extradite a main suspect in the poisoning case of a former KGB agent, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Tuesday.
He said the steps Britain is taking will heavily complicate bilateral cooperation in security issues.
"It is obvious that the line London is pursuing will complicate or make impossible cooperation between law enforcement bodies in issues relating to the safety of millions of British and Russian citizens," Grushko was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.
"British officials spoke about revision of cooperation with Russia in a number of areas, including a refusal to cooperate with the Federal Security Service (FSB)," he said. "At the same time, they claim that cooperation in fighting with terrorism will continue."
"These are reciprocally excluding statements, given the central role that the FSB plays in fighting with terrorism inside and outside of this country," Grushko said.
He said Russia's response would be appropriate and targeted, adding that it would not affect ordinary people or businessmen.
On Monday, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Britain would expel four diplomats from the Russian embassy in London due to Russia's refusal to extradite Andrei Lugovoi in the poisoning case of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.
Lugovoi, also a former KGB officer, was accused of murdering Litvinenko.
Litvinenko died of radioactive poisoning, from Polonium 210, in London on Nov. 23. Experts investigating his death found radiation traces at a dozen locations and on two British Airways airplanes that flew the Moscow-London route.
Lugovoi, a business partner of Litvinenko, met him at a London hotel on Nov. 1. Litvinenko fell ill on that day and died weeks later in a London hospital.
On July 5, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office formally rejected Britain's request for the extradition of Lugovoi.
Russia has said its refusal was based on a constitutional ban on turning Russian citizens over to foreign countries, as well as a European convention that allows signatories to refuse to extradite their nationals.
Source: Xinhua
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