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May to Outline British Response to Attack on Former Spy

by VOA News

   British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to outline Wednesday how
   her government plans to respond to the poisoning of a former Russian
   spy and his daughter in Britain.

   She had given Russia until midnight Tuesday to explain how a nerve
   agent developed by the Soviet Union was used in the March 4 attack on
   Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the southern city of
   Salisbury.

   The Russian government rejects any blame and did not comply with May's
   demand, a result she said would result in "extensive" retaliatory
   action.

   Russia's foreign ministry said Tuesday it would in turn retaliate for
   any sanctions Britain imposes in connection with the attack.

   "Any threats will not remain unanswered," a ministry statement said.

   Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted Russia would only
   cooperate with a British investigation if it gets samples of the nerve
   agent that is believed to have been used. But Lavrov said requests for
   the samples had been rejected, which he said violates the Chemical
   Weapons Convention. The convention prohibits the production of chemical
   weapons.

   Britain's immediate response will likely be to expel some Russian
   embassy staff, said analyst Ian Bond, director of foreign affairs at
   the Center for European Reform

   "Getting rid of some identified intelligence officers in the Russian
   embassy. More importantly perhaps, we have a certain amount of
   financial leverage against those in [Russian President] Putin's circle,
   who have property or other assets in the U.K," Bond said.

   Other options being considered include boycotting the football World
   Cup in Russia this year and banning Kremlin state media, such as
   broadcaster Russia Today.

   U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged British evidence that the
   Russians may have been responsible, but he stopped short of blaming
   Moscow "until we get the facts straight."

   "It sounds to me like it would be Russia based on all the evidence they
   have," Trump told reporters outside the White House.

   Trump spoke by phone Tuesday with Prime Minister May, and the White
   House said he agreed that Russia "must provide unambiguous answers"
   about how the weapon ended up being used in Britain. They also agreed
   on "the need for consequences" for those responsible for the attack.

   Investigators said Skripal and his daughter, who arrived from Russia
   the day before, drove to a shopping center in Salisbury, where they had
   a drink at a pub and dinner at a restaurant. About a half hour later,
   emergency personnel were called to assist the two, who were found in
   "extremely serious condition" on a bench near the shopping center. They
   remain hospitalized, as does the police officer who was first on the
   scene.

   On Monday, May told lawmakers the substance used to poison the Skripals
   belonged to a group of military-grade nerve agents known as
   "Novichock."