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Russian spy: Embassy requests meeting with Boris Johnson | Russian spy: Embassy requests meeting with Boris Johnson |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Russian Embassy in London has requested a meeting between its ambassador and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson over the Salisbury poisoning. | |
An embassy spokesperson said it was "high time" for a meeting to discuss the investigation, as well as a "whole range of bilateral issues". | |
Current interaction between the Russian Embassy and the foreign office was "utterly unsatisfactory", they said. | |
The Foreign Office confirmed it had received the request. | |
Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned with a toxic nerve agent called Novichok in Salisbury more than a month ago. | Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned with a toxic nerve agent called Novichok in Salisbury more than a month ago. |
The UK government claims Russia is behind the attack but Moscow has denied all involvement. | The UK government claims Russia is behind the attack but Moscow has denied all involvement. |
In a statement sent to the BBC an embassy spokesman said: "We believe that it is high time to arrange a meeting between Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson." | |
It added that the ambassador had already sent a note to the foreign secretary, and it hoped "the British side will engage constructively and that such meeting is arranged shortly". | |
The Foreign Office said it would respond in due course. | |
The request follows criticism from the Russian Embassy after the British government's refusal to grant a visa to Ms Skripal's cousin, Viktoria Skripal, to visit the UK. | |
On Friday the Home Office said the application did not comply with immigration rules. | |
But the Russian Embassy said Sergei and Yulia "remain hidden from the public". | |
"The stubborn refusal to cooperate, to provide transparency and to answer the numerous questions means Britain has something to hide," an embassy spokesman said. | |
Viktoria Skripal later told the BBC she did not have enough money in her bank account to satisfy the visa requirements. |