LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Russian politicians and the heads of semi-privatised Russian firms have called off their attendance at the Russian Economic Forum in London this year, event organisers told AFP.
Their decision comes in the context of strained political relations between the UK and Russian government. According to reports in Russian daily Kommersant, the decision to boycott the venue, which is a leading one in the Russian business calendar, came from 'up high'.
Russian relations with the UK have become strained after the country asked the UK to strip Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky of his refugee status and allow the country to extradite him the wake of an interview he had with a UK newspaper in which he called for a 'forced regime change in Russia.' The UK government has so far not agreed to change Berezovsky's asylum status.
According to the venue organisers talking to AFP, Russian businessmen that have already cancelled attendance include Rosneft president Sergey Bogdantchikov and Gazprom vice president Alexander Medvedev.
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