UK's May To Criticize Russia Again, Express Wish To Building Better Bilateral Relations

LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2018) UK Prime Minister Theresa May will once again criticize the Russian policy during the Lord Mayor's banquet speech on Monday but will add that London still wants to have better relations with Moscow.

May will particularly once again criticize Russia for its alleged involvement in poisoning former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK city of Salisbury as well as praise the coordinated international reaction to this incident.

"Together with our allies, in response to the attack in Salisbury, we coordinated the largest ever collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers, fundamentally degrading Russian intelligence capability for years to come. And our law enforcement agencies, through painstaking investigations and cooperation with our allies, produced the irrefutable evidence that enabled our Crown Prosecution Service to bring charges against those responsible," May is going to say, as quoted by The Guardian newspaper.

The prime minister will note that the collective response measures was a sign of the Western countries' will to protect their values and democracies.

"In these actions, we have seen the impact of international unity and a collective response to these threats. We have shown that while the challenge is real, so is the collective resolve of like-minded partners to defend our values, our democracies and our people," May will say.

At the same time the UK prime minister will point out that London still wants to have better relations with Moscow.

"This is not the relationship with Russia that we want," May will add.

Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious in March on a bench at a shopping center in Salisbury. The United Kingdom has accused Moscow of orchestrating the attack with what UK experts claim was the A234 nerve agent. Soon after the incident, London announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomatic workers. Over 25 countries have since expelled Russian diplomats "in solidarity" with London.

Moscow has refuted the allegations and repeatedly pointed to the lack of evidence provided by London.