INTENSE negotiations were under way last night in an effort to dampen down the worst spying row between Britain and Russia since the Cold War, amid continued pressure from hard liners in Moscow's security services for the expulsion of nine British embassy staff.
It appeared that Moscow might at least be reconsidering the severity of its proposed action, according to British sources, with signs of differences between the Russian security services and the foreign ministry.
The British ambassador to Moscow, Sir Andrew Wood, had a 30 minute meeting with Russia's Foreign minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, yesterday in an attempt to iron out the crisis, which began with the arrest of a young Russian man who was alleged recruited by MI6.
The ambassador emerged from the meeting saying only that the discussion had been "private"
raising hopes that Moscow and London may have made progress trying to find a discreet deal.
The British Foreign Secretary Mr Malcolm Rifkind, said last night that Mr Primakov did not formally repeat the threat to expel British diplomats during the meeting. Mr Rifkind said Mr Primakov told Sir Andrew that Russia "wanted to avoid any emotional or rushed decisions." During a lengthy meeting, called at Mr Primakov's request, the Russians apparently did not confirm but did not withdraw yesterday's threat to expel nine British diplomats.
"No demands were made of a kind that I'm familiar with," Mr Rifkind said in Birmingham.
The confusion over the fate of the Britons owes much to an apparent disagreement between the Federal Security Services (FSB) and the Russian Foreign Ministry tensions that have arisen despite Mr Primakov's past employment as the head of the foreign intelligence services.
The FSB said that Sir Andrew Wood had been handed a list of nine British diplomats at the embassy who had been declared "persona non grala" for having links with the agent, who is accused of "passing on political, defence, and strategic information." But later in the day the Foreign Ministry which officially has responsibility for foreign relations declined to confirm this.
The conciliatory tone of a Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr Grigory Karasin, gave rise to hopes that there will not be a tit for tat exchange between in London and Moscow, with both sides throwing out more of the other's nationals. But with an election looming, the Russian government may attempt to exploit the drama.
The British Foreign Secretary made it clear yesterday that if the expulsions did go ahead, his veiled threat on Monday to respond in kind would also stand. "We welcome the fact that the Russian government is discussing their concerns with us," he said.
Asked if Russian British relations were damaged, Mr Nikolai Leonov, a retired KGB lieutenant general, last night said there was no serious bilateral problem. Spying was a normal part of international life. The Russians were always scrupulous before making accusations. "The British have been caught. They should just quietly accept it."