Foreign Office criticises Russian request to meet Boris Johnson as 'diversionary tactic'
The Foreign Office has criticised Russia's request for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson over the Salisbury spy attack investigation as a "diversionary tactic".
Russian officials earlier said they wanted to discuss Mr Johnson's department's "utterly unsatisfactory" communication with him.
The Foreign Office confirmed on Saturday it had received a request from the Russian Embassy to speak to Mr Johnson, who has repeatedly condemned Vladimir Putin's regime over the attempted assassination of a former double agent last month.
But in a later beefed-up response, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "It's Russia's response that has been unsatisfactory.
"It's over three weeks since we asked Russia to engage constructively and answer a number of questions relating to the attempted assassinations of Mr Skripal and his daughter.
"Now, after failing in their attempts in the UN and international chemical weapons watchdog this week and with the victims' condition improving, they seem to be pursuing a different diversionary tactic."
She added: "We will of course consider their request and respond in due course."
The spat comes amid hope by British officials that attack victims Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia could be able to offer missing clues into their poisoning.
The foreign secretary has hailed the improvement in the condition of ex-spy Mr Skripal in particular as "great news" and "testament to the quick work" of the emergency services.
Moscow has repeatedly denied all involvement in the poisoning of Mr Skripal, 66, and Ms Skripal, 33, who were left fighting for their lives after being found unconscious on a park bench in Salisbury on March 4.
The Russian Embassy previously said it hoped the improvement in the Skripals' health will "contribute to the investigation of the crime perpetrated against them".
The latest statement from the Russian Embassy said: "We believe that it is high time to arrange a meeting between Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in order to discuss the whole range of bilateral issues, as well as the investigation of the Salisbury incident.
"Ambassador Yakovenko has already sent a respective personal note to the Foreign Secretary. We hope that the British side will engage constructively and that such meeting is arranged shortly."
The UK authorities have refused to grant Ms Skripal's cousin Viktoria Skripal a visa to come to Britain, with the Home Office saying her application "did not comply with the immigration rules".
She had reportedly been contacted by Yulia Skripal this week, who told her she would soon be discharged and added her father was also recovering.