US urges Russia to cooperate over murder probe

WASHINGTON, June 6 (Reuters) The United States, at loggerheads with Moscow over a range of issues, urged Russia's government to cooperate with Britain's investigation into the murder of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

''It's clear that there are comments coming out of the Russian leadership on their insistence that they will not cooperate. We would encourage them to cooperate,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters yesterday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera last weekend that Britain's request for the extradition of former agent Andrei Lugovoy in connection with Litvinenko's death was politically motivated and not backed up by enough evidence.

Litvinenko, a former spy who had become a Kremlin critic and moved to Britain, met Lugovoy and Russian businessman Dmitry Kovtun in London's Millennium Hotel on Nov. 1 last year.

He fell ill within hours of the meeting and died in a hospital just over three weeks later. Doctors diagnosed polonium poisoning.

''This is a case that needs to be resolved. This murder of Mr Litvinenko is just terrible. It's an awful, terrible way to die through this radiation poisoning, not to mention the other people possibly put at risk through what was done,'' said McCormack.

Asked about Putin's comments that there was not enough evidence to extradite Lugovoy over the case, McCormack declined comment.

''The important thing here is to answer the question of who killed this man. The British authorities say they have enough evidence to bring this particular person to trial.'' In his interviews, Putin also hit back at Britain for granting political asylum to Chechen rebel leader Akhmed Zakayev and tycoon Boris Berezovsky, both wanted in Russia.

McCormack said the British government should examine these cases mentioned by Putin. ''Absolutely, I am sure they are taking a close look at them. That is for them to resolve, but we would encourage an attitude of cooperation.'' The United States and Russia have traded a barrage of barbs in recent months over a range of issues, from Kosovo to a missile defense shield the United States plans in Europe that Moscow strongly opposes.

REUTERS JK BST0457