Russia expects Britain to take steps to rebuild bilateral relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said ahead of the visit to Moscow by his British counterpart.
William Hague will make his first visit to Russia since becoming the British Foreign Secretary at the invitation of Lavrov on October 12-13. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will hold talks with Hague on October 13.
Prior to his visit, Hague said relations between London and Moscow have been strained over a number of serious issues but a "door is open to better relations" and "we shall see if a door opens in return."
Relations between Russia and Britain have soured due to a range of disputes, including the controversial death of former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, Russia's pressure on the British Council and Britain's criticism of Moscow following the Russian-Georgian military conflict in August 2008.
During previous contacts with the British foreign secretary, Russia confirmed its readiness to "remove strong irritants in the relations with Britain, introduced at the initiative of the former [British] government," Lavrov said.
In particular, Lavrov said Russia proposed resuming practical work under intergovernmental agreements to ease the visa regime and the conditions of activity for cultural and information centers.
"This work was frozen at the initiative of London. We showed readiness long ago to unfreeze it. I hope that we will hear concrete answers from my counterpart because we do not need a reset on the part of Russia," he said.
"We see an abnormal situation in the relations, it emerged not at our initiative, that's why we expect the reaction at our good will," the Russian foreign minister said.
MOSCOW, October 12 (RIA Novosti)
