'Wanted' Ukrainian premier cancels Moscow visit

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has cancelled a visit to Moscow this week in protest at the refusal of Russian prosecutors to drop a criminal case against her.

She had been expected to begin a two-day visit to Moscow on Friday.

Ukraine’s Economic Minister Serhiy Teriokhin said that the prime minister did not fear arrest but was cancelling the trip as a matter of principle.

“No one is afraid of anyone. But there is the principle of international law,” Teriokhin said.

Tymoshenko is accused of bribing Russian defence officials while she headed Ukraine’s main gas distributor, and Russian prosecutors have issued an international arrest warrant for her.

Russia’s Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov said yesterday that the case has not been closed and Tymoshenko remains on the wanted list, although he reiterated that she would not face arrest because of immunity provided to state leaders.