President Vladimir Putin says Britain's demand to change Russian constitution to extradite a suspect in the murder of British citizen former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko retains a colonialist mentality. Putin said at a meeting with youth organizations at the presidential residence in Zavidovo, in the Tver Region.
"They are making proposals to change our constitution which are insulting for our nation and our people," Putin said in televised remarks during a meeting with activists of pro-Kremlin youth organizations. "It's their brains, not our constitution, which need to be changed. What they are offering to us is a clear remnant of colonial thinking."
War of words has escalated between Moscow and London over extradition of Kremlin critic, the bodyguard turned businessman and former KGB officer Andrei Lugovoi, a sole suspect. He met with Litvinenko in a London hotel on first day of November. Litvi fell ill after ingesting radioactive polonium-210 admistered by suspect Andrei. Death of Litvinenko sparked the diplomatic row,refusal of Moscow to hand over the suspect propelled to expel four Russian diplomats and Kremlin announced the expulsion of four British diplomats.
"They forgot that Britain is no longer a colonial power," Putin said. "They insult themselves by giving such advice, showing that they are thinking in terms of the last or even previous century."
"British proposal to change the constitution showed that British officials were still thinking in terms of the British Empire," Putin adds.
