Expulsions

Four Russian diplomats are due to be expelled from London amongst the continuing row over the radio-active poisoning of Russian refugee Alexandr Litvinyenko last December. He fell ill and died after ingesting polonium-210, a radio-active isotope that was slipped into a drink or food. Traces of the material were found in several locations across London.

The British government has asked its counterparts in Moscow to expel a suspect, Andrej Lugovoy. This has been declined by the Kremlin. For its perceived non-cooperation, the Russian government is now losing 4 intelligence officials from the London Embassy.

Under existing treaties, the Russian government was not obliged to expel Mr Lugovoy. In reverse, the Russian government has issued several similar requests in the recent past, none of which were honoured by London.

The situation is, as per normal, not a simple black-and-white picture. It should be viewed in a much larger context of changing balances of power in the world as a whole. Russia fell from its position as a global superpower after the fall of communism in the 1990s. Under hardliner Vladimir Putin, a former KGB official, the country is flexing its muscles on the international stage. Eastern Europe and other nations on Russia's periphery felt the effects of that over the winter with a hike in gas prices, or a dimunition in supplies. Russia also has leverage in the Balkans, where the question of independence for the Kosovo region in Serbia remains a brittle issue. Moscow also has influence in Tehran, which could help to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.

However, the British government wanted to put across the message that poisoning and killing dissidents in its territory, using radio-active materials, is not acceptable. Obviously, radio-active isotopes are indiscriminate agents and could imperil the lives of anyone in their vicinity.

The expulsion of 4 Russian diplomats is likely to be followed by a similar response from Moscow. Whether that will solve this particular spat remains to be seen. As I said above, Russia is asserting itself and this has the potential for some nasty repercussions on the international stage.