Moves to end spy row

Low-profile diplomatic efforts were continuing yesterday to resolve the spying row between Britain and Russia, writes John Lichfield.

In the absence of the Russian Foreign Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, out of town for the Victory Day national holiday, the UK ambassador, Sir Andrew Wood, saw other senior officials in Moscow.

Britain is still hoping to persuade the Kremlin to reverse the original decision to expel up to nine British diplomats. British sources said they were neither pessimistic nor optimistic.