Russia, Britain in slanging match over cultural centres
MOSCOW (AFP) — A war of words over two British cultural centres in Russia heated up Tuesday with Moscow accusing Britain of "colonial" nostalgia after it refused orders to shut the offices.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Britain was breaking the law in maintaining the British Council centres in Saint Petersburg and Yekaterinburg and suggested this was a reflection of "nostalgia for colonial times".
"But this is not the language in which you can talk to Russia," he warned.
In London, Foreign Secretary David Miliband accused Russia of taking "hostage" the debate over the offices, which offer Russians access to British arts and English language lessons.
He promised to respond to sanctions announced Monday by Russia.
"It is not in the interests of either the UK or Russia for flourishing cultural, educational and scientific links to be held hostage to unrelated issues in this way," Miliband said.
"Such threats can only make matters worse," he added in a statement.
The Russian order to close the British Council branches ratcheted up tensions triggered by the 2006 murder by radiation poisoning of ex-Russian agent and fierce Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London.
Diplomats were expelled on both sides last year after Moscow refused to hand over former secret service bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi, the man wanted in Britain for allegedly killing Litvinenko.
Moscow said the British Council ban was in response to Britain's expulsion of four Russian diplomats. Those expulsions also came on the heels of a spy scandal in 2006 in which Russia accused British diplomats of espionage.
The British Council, which formerly had 15 offices across Russia, was ordered to close the remaining two regional branches from the start of this year. The headquarters in Moscow was not affected.
When London refused, saying that a 1994 agreement gives the offices full rights, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Britain of "premeditated provocation".
The ministry also said it will block accreditation renewals for current employees and launch an inquiry for alleged tax debts against the council's Saint Petersburg office.
"British officials are well aware of international law. You just can't get your head around what's happening with the British Council," Lavrov said.
But London insists the body had done no wrong.
"As the government has repeatedly made clear to the Russian authorities, the British Council's activities in Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and across Russia are fully compliant both with Russian and international law," Miliband said.
"The government will consider these latest actions by Russia carefully and will continue to engage with our international partners on them.
"We will respond to the Russian government shortly."
