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U.K., Russia in diplomatic spat

LONDON: Tensions between Britain and Russia have erupted into yet another war of words — this time over something as elementary as the tone of a telephone conversation between Foreign Secretary David Miliband and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during the recent Georgian crisis.

Mr. Lavrov has reacted with fury to British media reports, based on anonymous Foreign Office “insiders,” that he subjected Mr. Miliband to a tirade peppered with “shocking” language.

“This story is so wrong that we have declassified the report of the conversation and are taking the unusual step of posting the text on our website,” said Mr. Lavrov, taking exception to the allegation that he “swore” at Mr. Miliband.

The conversation, during which Mr. Lavrov reportedly told Mr. Miliband not to “lecture” Russia and asked him if he knew anything at all about Russian history, took place last month after Russian military intervention in Georgia following latter’s attack on the breakaway pro-Moscow region of South Ossetia.

A Foreign Office “insider” was reported by The Daily Telegraph as saying: “It was not what you’d call diplomatic language. It was rather shocking.”

The British Foreign Office declined comment, saying it did not discuss diplomatic conversations. between Foreign Ministers.

Commentators said the incident showed how tense the relations between the two countries had become since Britain accused Russia of being behind the mysterious death of Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent.

Litvinenko died of suspected polonium poisoning in a London hospital two years ago.

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