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U.K. visa rules for Russian officials unchanged - ministry - 1

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(Recasts headline, paras 2-3, adds details, background in paras 4-8)

MOSCOW, July 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Britain has not so far changed visa issue procedures for Russian officials despite earlier reports, and Russia will follow suit.

"The Foreign Ministry has received requested explanations from the British Embassy in Moscow," official spokesman Mikhail Kamynin told journalists. "They said no changes had been made [to visa regulations], and that the rules introduced in April are still in effect."

Britain expelled four Russian diplomats last week over Moscow's refusal to extradite London's chief suspect in the Alexander Litvinenko murder case, and announced it would impose visa restrictions for Russian officials. Russia responded with similar expulsions, declared visa restrictions on British diplomats, and halted anti-terrorism cooperation.

Last week, Moscow said that until explanations are received from London on toughening visa regulations, Russian state officials would not request British visas, and that similar visa applications from Britain would not be considered.

Moscow says evidence of suspect Andrei Lugovoi's involvement in former Russian security officer Litvinenko's murder so far provided by London has been inadequate, and that the Constitution expressly forbids the extradition of Russian nationals. British Ambassador to Russia Anthony Brenton suggested Monday that Russia could amend its Constitution to make progress in the case.

President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday the suggestion that Russia amend its Constitution to extradite Lugovoi showed the country retains a colonialist mentality.

"What they are proposing is obviously a vestige of colonial thinking," Putin said at a meeting with pro-Kremlin youth organizations at the presidential residence in Zavidovo, in the Tver Region.

Putin stressed that London is still harboring 30 people wanted in Russia for serious crimes. The most high-profile of these are fugitive tycoon Boris Berezovsky, accused of massive fraud and instigating a coup in Russia, and Chechen emissary Akhmed Zakayev, considered a terrorist by Moscow. Russia's repeated requests for the extradition of both men have been repeatedly rejected by London.

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