XII. Read and translate the following newspaper article

Cameron calls for end to Russia 'tit for tat'

David Cameron insisted that Britain would not give up on bringing Alexander Litvinenko's killer to justice as he kicked off his visit to Russia today.

But the Prime Minister said the two governments had to end the «tit-for-tat culture» and work together despite festering tensions over the dissident's murder five years ago.

Mr Cameron is the first UK leader to visit Moscow since Tony Blair in 2005.

Relations nosedived following that trip when Mr Litvinenko was poisoned in London, and Russia refused to extradite the prime suspect, ex-KGB agent Andrei Lugovoy.

In a speech at Moscow State University this morning, Mr Cameron directly referred to the case and admitted there were «difficult issues that hamper mutual trust and co-operation».

«We still disagree with you over the Litvinenko case», he said.

«Our approach is simple and principled – when a crime is committed, that is a matter for the courts».

Mr Cameron said victims and their families had a «right to justice».

«It is the job of governments to help courts to do their work and that will continue to be our approach», he went on.

«So we can't pretend these differences don't exist».

«We need to keep working for an honest and open dialogue to address them candidly».

«But, at the same time, we have a responsibility to recognise the many ways in which we do need each other, to end the old culture of tit for tat and find ways for us to work together to advance our mutual interests».

Mr Cameron said he wanted a «new approach based on co-operation».

«Right now we both face enormous challenges from providing for our ageing populations and securing sustainable economic growth to protecting our countries against a global terrorist threat».

«The countries that will be successful in the 21st century will not be those that hunker down, pull up the drawbridge and fail to overcome their differences with others».

The Prime Minister even risked some Russian, telling the students: «We are stronger together».

Mr Cameron's one-day visit is focusing on strengthening business links and improving conditions for UK firms in the country.

BP chairman Bob Dudley is among 24 senior executives travelling with the premier, and some £215 million of deals are due to be sealed, creating 500 UK jobs.

However, there will also be significant efforts to build political bridges.

Alongside talks with President Dmitry Medvedev, Mr Cameron is set to meet Vladimir Putin – who could take over the Kremlin again in elections next year.

UK diplomats have made the extraordinary admission that no ministers or senior officials have held discussions with Mr Putin for four years.

Downing Street has insisted that Mr Cameron will raise the Litvinenko case during his meetings.

But Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that Britain needed to abandon its «ideological obsessions».

«More and more people, including politicians, understand that ideological obsessions must give way to pragmatism and the search for balance of interests, both internationally and in bilateral relations of states, in spite of the fact that governments might differ on certain matters», he wrote in an article for First magazine.

The Kremlin has already reiterated its position that Mr Lugovoy – now a politician – will not be extradited and could only face prosecution in a Russian court.

The leaders are also due to cover Syria, where they disagree over how to react to brutal repression by the regime, Iran's nuclear programme, and Libya in their discussions.

After his speech, Mr Cameron was quizzed by students on why Britain's visa system was so difficult to negotiate.

He responded that 96% of applications were granted, and «most» within 15 days.

The number of visas granted by the Russian government was comparable, he added.

«I think you will find the two systems are quite similar for travel both ways», Mr Cameron said.

12/09/ 2011, The Independent

Дата добавления: 2015-08-03