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Putin downplays standoff with UK

Russia and Britain can overcome their escalating dispute over Moscow's refusal to extradite the main suspect in the poisoning death of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. He downplayed the standoff, calling it a "mini-crisis."

At the same time, Putin suggested it was up to Britain to back down in the confrontation. He spoke after Russia announced it will expel four British diplomats, mirroring punishment meted out by London for Russia's refusal to hand over suspect Andrei Lugovoi.

"I think Russian-British relations will develop normally," Putin said on Thursday, adding that strong ties were in the interests of both countries. "But it is necessary to balance our actions with common sense, to respect the legal rights and interests of partners -- then everything will develop in the best way."

"I'm sure we will overcome this mini-crisis, too," he said.

In Moscow, the British ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry's imposing Stalin-era tower and informed of Russia's response to Britain's announcement of the expulsion of four Russian diplomats and restrictions on visas to Russian officials.

In addition to mirroring Britain's punishment by expelling four British diplomats, ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said Russia would stop issuing visas to British officials and halt counterterrorism cooperation. But Moscow carefully avoided measures that could affect economic ties.

Kamynin called Russia's moves "targeted, balanced and the minimum necessary." He said the new government of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown "made a conscious choice of worsening relations with our country."

He also said that Russia was suspending cooperation against terrorism, saying it had become "impossible."

Meanwhile, Norway's armed forces that said two Russian Tu-95 bombers made unusually long sorties over the North Sea on Thursday morning, forcing both Norway and Britain to scramble fighter jets to follow the Russian planes.

The Russian bombers stayed in international air space during their flight, which took them as far south as the region between Norway's Stavanger and Aberdeen in Scotland -- centers of the North Sea oil industry.

The incident was the latest of several such sorties in past days.

"It's a long time since they [Russian bombers] have been that far south. I would say that is rather unusual," John Inge Oegland, spokesman for Norway's armed forces, told reporters.

"Since they were so far south, the RAF [Britain's Royal Air Force] followed the same procedure and went up to identify them," he said.
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