MOSCOW, July 17 (RIA Novosti) - A senior Russian diplomat said Tuesday that Britain's decision to expel four Russian diplomats over Moscow's refusal to extradite a suspect in a high profile murder case would complicate bilateral cooperation in security issues.
The U.K. decided to expel four Russian diplomats and suspend visa facilitation talks with Moscow after Russia refused to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, the U.K.'s key suspect in the Alexander Litvinenko murder case, citing Russia's Constitution that forbids the extradition of Russian nationals.
"It is obvious that the line London is pursuing will complicate or make impossible cooperation between law enforcement bodies in issues relating to the safety of millions of British and Russian citizens," said Alexander Grushko, a deputy foreign minister.
He said Russia's response would be appropriate and targeted, but that it would not affect ordinary people or businessmen.
Russia condemned as "Russophobic" and "immoral" the planned expulsion, warning of an inevitable political backlash after U.K. Foreign Secretary David Miliband announced the move.
Miliband said Monday that negotiations between Russia and the European Union over facilitating the visa regime would be suspended and visa restrictions introduced for Russian officials. A spokesman for the British Embassy in Moscow clarified that the restrictions would not concern tourists or other ordinary citizens.
Shares of Russian companies traded on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) fell between 0.3% and 4% on news of the U.K. measures against Russia.
Lugovoi, who met Litvinenko on the day he fell ill in London, told journalists that London's decision to expel Russian diplomats was a clear attempt to politicize the case.
Litvinenko died in a London hospital in November 2006. British experts said they discovered the radioactive isotope Polonium-210 in his body, but have not yet published an official autopsy report.
In a deathbed note, purportedly written by Litvinenko, who received British citizenship shortly before his death, he blamed President Vladimir Putin for his murder, an allegation the Kremlin dismissed.
Early last week, British prosecutors said they had received Russia's official refusal to extradite Lugovoi, which cited the Russian Constitution as saying Russian citizens could not be handed over to other countries, and proposed trying Lugovoi in Russia if Britain provides sufficient evidence.
