German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Wednesday for a rapid settlement of the diplomatic row between Britain and Russia over the poisoning case of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.
Speaking at her final news conference before the summer break, Merkel said the poisoning of Litvinenko has endangered other people and the case must be cleared up as soon as possible.
Litvinenko died of radioactive poisoning, from Polonium 210, in London on Nov. 23.
British prosecutors have accused Andrei Lugovoi, also a former KGB officer, of murdering Litvinenko and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said on Monday that Britain would expel four diplomats from the Russian embassy in London after Russia rejected Britain's request for the extradition of Lugovoi.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko has warned that Russia will offer a precisely targeted and adequate reaction to Britain's decision to expel four Russian diplomats.
Merkel said on Wednesday that she did not believe the diplomatic row between London and Moscow would expand to a crisis between the European Union and Russia.
"I hope that the dispute will be settled as soon as possible. The reason of all involved will guarantee that," Merkel said.
Source: Xinhua
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