PM Wants Stronger Relationship With Russia

David Cameron has told Dmitry Medvedev that he wants Britain to build a stronger business and political relationship with Russia despite unresolved issues.

The Prime Minister was speaking in Moscow during a news conference with the Russian President - just hours after he insisted that Britain would not give up on bringing the killer of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko to justice.

"While difficulties and disagreements remain we are not changing our views on those issues," he said.

"But that doesn't mean we shouldn't pursue stronger business and commercial relationships, and try to work together on issues like stabliity and peace in the Middle East, and the very best the world can do at the G20.

"It's absolutely vital for Russia and Britain that those meetings are productive, that we solve the problems of the eurozone, the problems of debt, and get the world economy to move on.

"We are committed to building a stronger relationship even while some of the problems and issues between us haven't been resolved."

Mr Cameron denied that the British Government was trying to "park" the Litvinenko case to help thaw relations.

He said the Government still disagreed, but it was possible to move "beyond" the issue.

Earlier as he kicked off his one-day trip to Russia, Mr Cameron said the two governments had to end the "tit-for-tat culture" and work together despite festering tensions over Mr Litvinenko's murder.

It is the first visit by a British leader since the murder of Mr Litvinenko in London in 2006.

The poisoning of the Kremlin critic caused relations between the two countries to hit a post-Cold War low.

Nobody has been brought to justice for the killing, despite efforts by Britain to extradite former KGB officer Andrei Lugovoi who was named as the chief suspect.

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 at Moscow State University.

"Our approach is simple and principled - when a crime is committed, that is a matter for the courts.

"It is their job to examine the evidence impartially and to determine innocence or guilt."

The wider aim of Mr Cameron's visit is to increase trade and improve his relationship with Mr Medvedev, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin .

The PM revealed that Britain will now support Russia's bid for ascension to the World Trade Organisation, and announced £250m in new business deals between the two countries.

Mr Cameron also held talks with Mr Putin at his official residence in Moscow.

Whitehall officials recently revealed that there has been no high-level contact with the leader for four years.

After shaking hands the two men sat facing each other across a table, flanked by their respective delegations.

"We are very glad to see you and this is the first visit by the PM of Great Britain in the past five years," Mr Putin said through an interpreter.

"I should say the trade and economic development over the past years has been developing very successfully."

Mr Cameron is under pressure to raise issues such as the murder of Mr Litvinenko and concerns surrounding Russia's failure to protect business from corruption.

William Browder, the founder of UK-based Hermitage Capital Management, was formerly the biggest foreign investor in Russia.

His lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, died an agonising death in a Moscow jail after investigating alleged state corruption.

Mr Browder told Sky News he believes the British Government has failed to tackle Russia on human rights issues.

"One of his big agenda items is to increase British investment into Russia. I was the largest British investor into Russia with more than £3bn invested.

"In late 2005, the Russian government expelled me from Russia, expropriated my investment companies, arrested, tortured and killed my 37-year-old lawyer who investigated the crime."

He added: "The Russian government are now engaged in a full scale cover-up.

"The US government has imposed travel sanctions against the Russian officials involved."

Mr Browder is calling on the British Government to do the same.

Others believe Mr Cameron should draw a line under the Litvinenko affair in order to re-establish cooperation between the two countries' intelligence services.

In a briefing ahead of the visit, the Russian ambassador in London, Alexander Yakovenko, said: "We are waiting for a decision from the British side on re-establishing full cooperation with all the Russian law enforcement bodies and special services.

"At this stage Russia and the UK are not cooperating in this area. We believe that this is in the interests of both countries and in the interests of all countries in the world."