Russia has not been notified by UK of "Magnitsky list" introduction - Lavrov
MOSCOW. July 9 (Interfax) - Moscow has not been officially informed by London about the introduction of any "Magnitsky list" on UK territory, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding he does not rule out that such reports could be considered provocation.
"We have not received any official notification on that score from the authorities of the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the authorities of the United Kingdom previously stressed more than once that they were not going to introduce any such lists," Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday.
The foreign minister said he did not rule out that "it could be a provocation because the media space of Europe and the whole world is currently awash with such hot topics from which they possibly would like to distract public attention."
This issue was not discussed at his meeting with ambassadors from EU member countries in Moscow on July 8, Lavrov said.
"Frankly speaking, it was after this meeting that I saw reports on our newswires that some British newspapers announced such a list," he said.