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20Apr18

Russia files protest to UK's Foreign Office against drawing G7 into anti-Russian campaign

Russia's Embassy in London has submitted a note of protest to the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office to express their disagreement with the policy of drawing G7 nations into the anti-Russian campaign, says a press release circulated by the Russian diplomatic mission on Friday.

"We are disappointed by another groundless statement on Skripals' case, this time made on behalf of all G7 members. It is regrettable that G7 members allow themselves to be drawn into an anti-Russian campaign built on hollow accusations," it says.

"Today we have sent a Note Verbale to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to express our disagreement with this policy," the document reads.

"We expect that the United Kingdom, despite all the differences between our countries, remains a civilized and responsible state," it says. "The Conservative government should find strength to overcome its opportunistic political ambitions and to refrain from actions which directly undermine spirit and letter of the Chemical Weapons Convention and lead to further deterioration of our bilateral relations."

Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations, who met in Canada's Ottawa, made a joint statement on April 16 calling on Russia to disclose its alleged Novichok nerve gas program and immediately answer all the questions concerning the Salisbury incident. Moscow has repeatedly pointed out that neither the Soviet Union nor Russia has ever done research into that toxic chemical.

On March 4, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, 66, who had been earlier sentenced in Russia for spying for the UK, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were found unconscious on a bench near the Maltings shopping center in Salisbury, UK. Police said they had been exposed to a nerve agent.

Later, London claimed that the toxin of Novichok-class had been allegedly developed in Russia. With that, the UK rushed to accuse Russia of being involved, while failing to produce any evidence. Moscow resolutely denies any involvement.

[Source: Itar Tass, London, 20Apr18]
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