From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 7/23/2007 5:02 AM

July 23, 2007, 5:16AM
British ambassador challenges Russia over extradition

By MANSUR MIROVALEV
Associated Press

MOSCOW — Tension between Russia and Britain escalated today as both sides accused the other of refusing to cooperate in the investigation into the killing of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London.

A high-level Russian prosecutor defended Russia's refusal to extradite former KGB officer Andrei Lugovoi, Britain's prime suspect in the radiation poisoning of Litvinenko, himself a former KGB agent, in November.

"There is no evidence in the materials provided by Britain that there was an objective investigation of the Litvinenko case by Scotland Yard," deputy prosecutor general Alexander Zvyagintsev said at a news conference. "The Russian side has more grounds to doubt the objectivity of the British justice system."

Zvyagintsev said Russian prosecutors are ready to open a case against Lugovoi if there are grounds to do so.

Russia has refused to turn over Lugovoi on the grounds that the constitution forbids extradition of Russian citizens.

Britain's ambassador to Russia has directly challenged that argument. In an interview published today, Sir Anthony Brenton said Russia could get around the ban if it wanted to cooperate on the case.

"Russia's constitution, like those of other states, is clearly capable of interpretation in the light of circumstances," he said in an interview with the Interfax news agency and Kommersant newspaper. The ambassador noted specific sections of the constitution that are routinely violated in Russia.

Lugovoi was one of three Russians who met with Litvinenko in a London hotel on Nov. 1, the day he fell ill, but Lugovoi has denied any involvement in his death.

The politically charged case also was expected to be discussed at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels today. The extradition dispute may further complicate efforts by the EU and Russia to draw up a new cooperation agreement to replace the one that expires in December.

Brenton said Britain was not asking Russia to violate its own constitution, "but to work with us creatively to find a way around this impediment, given the serious and unprecedented nature of this murder. Such cooperation has not been forthcoming."

Russia has offered to try Lugovoi in Moscow if Britain presents sufficient evidence against him. Brenton said this was not an option for British prosecutors, who he stressed were independent of the government.

"They note that the crime was committed against a British citizen and took place in London. The appropriate venue for the trial is therefore London.

"Moreover, both the U.N. and the EU have stated publicly their concern that the law in Russia is applied selectively," Brenton said. "There would therefore be grounds for a legal challenge against any attempt to accept a trial in Russia."

Britain announced last week that it was expelling four Russian diplomats, restricting visas issued to Russian government officials and reviewing interaction on a range of issues in what it said was a necessary response to Moscow's refusal to cooperate.

Russia countered by saying it will expel four British diplomats, stop issuing visas for British officials and halt counterterrorism cooperation.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4989874.html