William Hague warms up Russian relations

Britain and Russia "have had some serious differences" in the past but should seek to resolve their issues through "dialogue and diplomacy", Foreign Secretary William Hague said yesterday as he sought to rebuild the UK's battered relationship with Moscow.

Mr Hague held talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov aimed at opening up new areas of co-operation. Anglo-Russian relations have been at a post-Cold War low since the murder in London in 2006 of ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko and Russia's refusal to extradite former KGB man Andrei Lugovoi, who is wanted for the killing.

Mr Hague said: "Our countries have had serious differences... We should be able to acknowledge that... and apply our minds to them through dialogue and diplomacy."