UK, Russia seek to mend damaged ties

David Cameron pledged to rebuild ties with Russia yesterday as he met President Dmitry Medvedev on the first visit to Moscow by a British leader since the 2006 poisoning of a Kremlin critic in London.
While they failed to resolve a dispute about the case itself and remained at odds over Syria, Prime Minister Cameron and Medvedev emphasised their desire to turn over a new leaf as they oversaw trade deals worth more than $300 million.
"If we can build a stronger relationship, I believe both our countries will gain," Cameron said during a joint press conference at the Kremlin.
"We have managed to largely overcome some existing difficulties," Medvedev said as the two leaders showed off their camaraderie by smiling profusely and calling each other by their first names.
Relations between London and Moscow have been strained ever since Alexander Litvinenko -- a former KGB agent and fierce critic of the current Russian premier Vladimir Putin -- died from polonium poisoning in London.
Russia's refusal to extradite Andrei Lugovoi, the chief suspect in the murder who later became a lawmaker, led to a sharp deterioration in ties under the former Labour government in London.