'Radiation test' on British Embassy

12 April 2012

A team of experts from Britain investigating the death of former spy Alexander Litvinenko are to carry out "precautionary tests" for radiation at the British Embassy in Moscow, the Foreign Office has said.

A Foreign Office spokesman said the tests will be carried out in one room of the embassy by a team of experts who have travelled to the Russian capital from Britain.

Amid growing diplomatic tension over the continued furore, he stressed the tests were just being undertaken as a precaution and the experts "did not expect to find anything".

The spokesman said: "Precautionary tests are taking place in one room in the British Embassy in Moscow. They are just precautionary tests and they do not expect to find anything."

He added the team of experts had already arrived in the city after leaving Britain earlier but could not say when the tests would be completed.

Nine Scotland Yard detectives flew to Russia on Monday morning to investigate the death of the former spy, who died on November 23 after allegedly being poisoned with the radioactive isotope Polonium-210.

The officers plan to interview several potential witnesses in Russia, including those who met the 43-year-old on the day he was allegedly poisoned.

A local Russian police force is likely to escort the British detectives during their trip, which could last several days or even weeks.

Their arrival in Russia comes at a crucial period, not only for the police investigation but also for Anglo-Russian political relations.

Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has warned that persistent suggestions that Russia was involved could harm diplomatic relations between London and Moscow.

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