MOSCOW, August 13, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians estimate the relations between our country and Great Britain; the reasons and consequences of the recent diplomatic conflict; recommendations of the UK to introduce changes into the Constitution of the Russian Federation, allowing to extradite Russian citizens to the tribunal of other states.

Two thirds of Russians consider Great Britain today to be a strategic and economic partner of our country (25%) or, what is more, a friendly state, an ally (9%). On the contrary, nearly half of the respondents sees Great Britain as an economic and political rival, a competitor (34%), or even a hostile state, a potential enemy (12%). The points of view of the respondents under 35 years of age were divided approximately equally (39% of positive responses and 41%-42% negative ones), the negative estimation of the role of Great Britain predominates among the respondents older than that (27%-33% treat the matter positively, 45%-40% treat it negatively).

The relations between the two countries are rather characterized as negative (+39%, -48%; Muscovites and Peterburgers are most sceptical about the matter: +25%, -65%). Only 4% of Russians consider these relations to be friendly, another 5% consider them to be good, good-neighborly. 30% of the respondents express a moderately positive point of view; they describe the relations as "normal, calm." Approximately as much of the respondents (27%) express a moderately negative view on the matter and describe the relations as "cool". In the opinion of 18%, the relations between the two countries are strained. And only 3% describe them as hostile.

17% of the respondents have heard something about the blazing diplomatic conflict that broke out between Russia and Great Britain this summer, 44% know a little about it, and 34% heard about it for the first time in the course of the survey. The share of those well aware and informed of the conflict (according to their own estimations) rises from 12% in the group of young people of 18-24 years to 16% in the groups of 25-44 years of age and to 19%-20% among the respondents of 45 years of age and older.

The respondents who have heard about the diplomatic conflict name the fact that Russia refused to give out A.Lugovoy and the death of A.Litvinenko (17%) as the reasons for the conflict. The reasons that were mentioned more rarely are the negative relations between Great Britain and Russia (8%) or political contradictions between these two countries (7%). Still fewer respondents (2%-3% each) associate the conflict with the expulsion of diplomats, with the recommendations on the side of Great Britain to introduce changes into the Russian constitution or with B.Berezovsky.

Let us note that only 3% of the respondents regard this diplomatic conflict as the beginning of a new "cold war" between the two countries. One third (35%) forecast, that it will worsen Russian- British relations, but still will not lead to a crisis in the relations between Russia and the West (this point of view is especially popular in Moscow and Saint Petersburg - 46%). Half of Russians (51%) does not expect the conflict to bring about serious consequences

The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on July 28-29, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.