Britain to expel four Russian diplomats over extradition denial

Moscow, July 16 (UNI) The British government has decided to expel four Russian diplomats and take other drastic steps in response to Russia's refusal to extradite businessman Andrei Lugovoi, the main accused in the murder of former Russian KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, in London.

Four Russian diplomats serving in London would be expelled and the process of issuing visas to Russian citizens would be changed, Russian news agencies reported quoting British Foreign Secretary David Miliband's announcement in Parliament on Monday.

Miliband also said if Lugovoi travelled to any other country, Britain would press for his extradition from there.

He stressed that Britain would also discuss the future of relation between Russia and the European Union with its EU partners.

According to the Russian authorities the response to British measures would be "appropriate", RIA Novosti news agency said quoting a source in Moscow.

Last week, British prosecutors said they had received Russia's official refusal to extradite Lugovoi citing the Russian Constitution which did not allow citizens of Russia to be handed over to other countries.Thus, they proposed trying Lugovoi in Russia only with sufficient evidence from Britain.

However, British government doubted whether Russian trial would be unbiased or sufficiently just.

Litvinenko died of radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in a London hospital in November. Lugovoi, also a former Russian security officer, met Litvinenko in London on the day he fell ill.

Lugovoi however denied involvement in the Litvinenko's murder.

Litvinenko, in his dying statement, blamed President Vladimir Putin for his murder, an allegation the Kremlin repeatedly denied.

UNI