Britain warns Russia after Council staff questioned

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Britain told Russia on Wednesday that any attempt to intimidate staff of its cultural arm was "completely unacceptable" after Russia's state security service summoned local employees for questioning.

Russia and Britain have been trading barbs after London defied Moscow's demand to close British Council offices in two Russian regions.

In London, the head of the British diplomatic service met Russian ambassador Yuri Fedotov. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the message to Fedotov would be that the only losers from the "attack" on the British Council would be the Russian government's reputation and its people.

The British Council, a body that promotes British culture and which has branches in Russian regions, said local staff had been called in by the Federal Security Service (FSB) domestic intelligence agency, main successor to the Soviet-era KGB.

A Foreign Office spokesman in London said: "We are aware of the incident and investigating the circumstances.

"Any attempt to intimidate British Council staff in Russia is completely unacceptable," the spokesman said. "The welfare of both Russian and British staff of the Council is our main priority."

Russia says the Council's two offices in the northern city of St Petersburg and the Urals city of Yekaterinburg are operating illegally, a charge London denies.

"It is clear that the British Council operates legally in Russia according to the relevant conventions and agreements and to the benefits of thousands of Russian citizens," the Foreign Office spokesman said.