Russia to expel 23 British diplomats as crisis deepens
MOSCOW - Russia expelled 23 British diplomats on Saturday in a retaliatory move over British accusations that it orchestrated a nerve toxin attack on a former double agent and his daughter in southern England.
Escalating a crisis in relations, Russia said it was also shutting down the activities of the British Council, which fosters cultural links between the two countries, and withdrawing agreement for Britain to operate a consulate-general in St. Petersburg.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was giving the 23 British diplomats one week to leave the country.
The move followed Britain's decision on Thursday to expel 23 Russian diplomats over the attack in the English city of Salisbury which left former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, critically ill in hospital.
The ministry said Moscow's measures were a response to what it called Britain's "provocative actions and groundless accusations". It had warned London it stood ready to take further measures in the event of more "unfriendly steps".
Relations between London and Moscow have crashed to a post-Cold War low over the attack, the first known offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War II.
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the British ambassador, Laurie Bristow, to a meeting on Saturday morning in central Moscow during which he was informed of the measures.
Bristow told reporters afterward that the crisis had arisen.
Russia has complained that Britain has failed to provide any evidence of its involvement in the Salisbury attack and has said it is shocked and bemused by the allegations, but it is open to cooperation with Britain over investigation.
Russia said that it has destroyed all of its chemical weapons and that its military chemical program has been shut down since the mid-1980s.
War of words
Britain has escalated a war of words with Russia over the incident in recent days.
On Friday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said it was overwhelmingly likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin himself had made the decision to use a military-grade nerve toxin to strike down Skripal.
Britain, the United States, Germany and France have jointly called on Russia to explain the attack, while US President Donald Trump has said it looks as if the Russians were behind it.
Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament, warned Britain against escalating the crisis.
"It is possible that (Britain) will continue to respond; we are ready for this. But London must understand that this will not do anything, it is useless to talk with Russia with such methods," Dzhabarov was quoted as saying by the state news agency RIA Novosti.
Reuters - Ap - Xinhua
(China Daily 03/18/2018 page9)
