"We hope the current positive dynamics in high level political contacts with the British will eventually create conditions for removing irritants [in bilateral ties]," Yury Fedotov said in a statement posted on the Foreign Ministry's website on Monday.
Relations between Britain and Russia were strained by the diplomatic fallout following the 2006 murder of former Russian security officer Alexander Litvinenko in London and Moscow's refusal to extradite the U.K.'s main suspect in the case.
London responded by drastically cutting diplomatic and other contacts with Moscow, which took tit-for-tat measures. Ties deteriorated further after the closure of British Council offices in St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg early last year. Russian authorities cited tax and status violations, but London said the closures were political.
Fedotov said the "general tone" of bilateral contacts "has changed for the better," referring to talks on the sidelines of a G8 meeting in Japan and a G20 gathering in Washington last year. "The world situation has prompted us to try to find compromises."
In a sign that relations - also strained by a recent TNK-BP joint oil venture row and London's repeated refusal to extradite Russian fugitive businessmen and terrorist suspects - have improved, the two countries' top financial officials resumed talks in London last week to address bilateral cooperation and reforms to the global financial system prompted by the ongoing global credit crisis.
Fedotov, however, blamed London for a failure to resume antiterrorism contacts and talks on simpler visa regulations. He also cited Britain's refusal to extradite tycoon Boris Berezovsky, Chechen terrorist emissary Akhmed Zakayev, and other people wanted in Russia.
Fedotov also said the Litvinenko probe was deadlocked, but said he hoped London would eventually agree to provide case files to try suspects in a Russian court.
