The delicate issue of human rights seemed to be, from the very outset, implicated in David Miliband's ice-breaking trip to Moscow. The trip coincided with the third anniversary of the death of Kremlin critic and ex-KGB man Alexander Litvinenko, the event which precipitated the initial freeze in relations. Indeed, the case of the poisoned Russian (who had a painful, lingering and widely-publicised death by polonium), as the Times commentator cited below suggests, could be seen to reflect Russia's broadened trend of human rights violations:This is not an obscure dispute over an awkward happenstance, in which the demands of realpolitik trump the requirements of justice. Litvinenko was a British citizen. His murder was an act of unspeakable brutality, committed in the heart of London. His fate replicated that of other critics of Mr Putin, such as Anna Politkovskaya, the journalist, who was shot dead in Moscow in 2006. The charge that Litvinenko's was state-sponsored cannot be refuted, because Moscow has ensured that no trial can take place.
Hopes surfaced in the media that some level of dialogue on these issues might be established - with an inference that the issue of Mikhael
Khordokovky may be mentioned and the fact that the British Foreign Secretary met with rights activists
as part of his trip. It is disappointing to remark the overwhelming impression that Milliband
walked away with little to show for in terms of these concerns, with
talks yielding no breakthrough in terms of the Litvinenko case and Miliband having seemingly no choice but to accept Russia's intractability on the extradition of Andrei Lugovoi. According to the Times, 'Litvinenko's
widow, Marina, described Mr Miliband's trip to Moscow on the third
anniversary of the attack as a great disappointment'.
At any rate, there seemed to be a feeling beforehand that trade interests between Russia and Britain may have overshadowed the thornier question of Litvinenko. The backdrop of improved trade relations also gained media attention. The Independent spoke yesterday of the invasion of British banks allaying political friction:
At any rate, there seemed to be a feeling beforehand that trade interests between Russia and Britain may have overshadowed the thornier question of Litvinenko. The backdrop of improved trade relations also gained media attention. The Independent spoke yesterday of the invasion of British banks allaying political friction:
A year ago, British firms were afraid they might become outcasts in Moscow following a dispute at Anglo-Russian joint energy venture TNK-BP, the closure of the British Council's offices in Russia and the Kremlin's refusal to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, the chief suspect in the London killing of dissident Alexander Litvinenko. Diplomatic relations between the two Governments sank to their lowest point since the Cold War but the economic crisis and the need for foreign investment stimulus has since helped to paper over political differences.Russia's UK ambassador Yuri Fedotov also highlighted the importance of commercial issues in the Guardian:
We see recent tensions as a break in normal relations between the UK and Russia. It is a relationship which can be seen, for instance, in the strong business links between our two countries. Trade between us has tripled over the last six years and reached more than $22bn in 2008. Britain remains the fourth biggest foreign investor in Russia.It just seems unfortunate that in the case of Britain-Russian relations, one man's meat is another man's poison.
More than 1,000 British companies now operate successfully in Russia, in sectors as varied as mining and retailing, despite the global crisis which has affected our economic ties as well. BP is part of our biggest multinational enterprise in our oilfields. Barclays, HSBC and other banks are expanding their network of branches. In turn, Russian companies seeking investment enjoy the benefits of the London Stock Exchange, enhancing the City's prestige as the world financial centre.
Against this background, it is unfortunate that there has been friction between our countries at diplomatic level. It is true, of course, that Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Gordon Brown have met at a variety of international summits and our foreign ministers have remained in contact. But the fact that there has been no bilateral visit at ministerial level for five years shows that relations are not as warm or positive as they should be.
"It is disappointing to remark the overwhelming impression that Milliband walked away with little to show for in terms of these concerns, with talks yielding no breakthrough in terms of the Litvinenko case and Miliband having seemingly no choice but to accept Russia's intractability on the extradition of Andrei Lugovoi."
Pretty funny. You clearly think Miliband represents a government to be taken seriously. Others of us remember its the same government that turned Londonistan into a thriving center of international Islamic radicalism, sold off most its gold reserve at the market bottom, pumped out its North Sea oil fast at the market bottom and now pays seven times as much for oil imports, and which helped Dubya lie his way into the disasterous Iraq war.
Contrasting the last decade or so of British and Russian governance, the Russian is clearly better.