Lavrov blames Brown for Russia-Britain relations' crisis

Moscow, July 20 (UNI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today blamed new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the worsening of relations between Moscow and London over the 'Litvinenko case.' ''The new government is a major factor in what is happening now,'' Lavrov said at a news conference at the end of the Mideast Quartet meeting, in Lisbon.

''We hope that the government will get the hang of it and will work for the benefit of the people and Russian-British relations,'' Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

It was understood that a new government tries to assert itself, he said, expressing the hope, ''the common sense will prevail.'' While talking about the difficult period in the two countries' relations, he said, ''For how long it may last depends not on Russia, but on the British colleagues.'' It was odd for Russia to hear about its unwillingness to cooperate in the Litvinenko case, he said.

Commenting on the ongoing diplomatic fight, Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced confidence yesterday that the two nations would overcome the current crisis in their relations, which took a turn for the worse when Russia expelled four British diplomats in retaliation.

''I think Russian-British relations will develop normally. I am convinced that we will cope with this mini-crisis too,'' Putin said, stressing that both Russia and Britain were interested in developing bilateral relations.

''But any action should be matched with common sense. The legal rights and interests of partners should be respected, and then everything will take the best course,''he noted.

Meanwhile, president of Russia's Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Alexander Shokhin warned today that the continuing diplomatic row could force many Russian companies to leave the London Stock Exchange and British companies in Russia could face difficulties.

''If events develop in this key, Britain's trading floors traditionally favoured by Russian companies, including state-run companies, would start losing ground, and Continental exchanges will obtain an opportunity to attract Russian companies to their bourses," Mr Sokhin told RIA Novosti news agency.

UNI