Dissidents start diplomatic row with Russia

Britain was embroiled in a diplomatic row with Russia today over two dissidents exiled in London.

The Russian foreign ministry summoned a senior British diplomat in protest at "anti-Russian" comments by Akhmed Zakayev and Boris Berezovsky. The official complaint comes after Mr Zakayev held a press conference in London this week to attack President Putin's handling of the Beslan siege. Mr Zakayev, a spokesman for the Chechen president, claimed Putin's policy on Chechnya could provoke further massacres.

Russia has called for the extradition of Mr Zakayev and Mr Berezovsky, who have political asylum in the UK.

In Moscow the British chargé ¤'affaires Stephen Wordsworth was told London was responsible for Mr Zayakev's remarks.

The Russian foreign ministry complained of Britain's failure to address the "sharply intensified anti-Russian activities" and said "the slanderous remarks" were receiving increasingly broad coverage in the media while not being met with "an adequate official response".