Russia Calls for Extradition of Berezovsky

Russia has renewed calls for Britain to extradite exiled billionaire Boris Berezovsky after he urged an overthrow of President Vladimir Putin. Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Berezovsky's calls for a violent overthrow were sufficient grounds for extradition. The country's top prosecutor Yuri Chaika says he has instructed Russian authorities to open a criminal case against Berezovsky for the tycoon's remarks, published in Britain's "Guardian" newspaper Friday.

Berezovsky said it was now only possible to change the Russian regime through force rather than democratic means. He said he was in contact with Russia's political elite, but he declined to identify any of his allies. Berezovsky added that he was funding their efforts.

Berezovsky fled Russia in 2000 when the government began investigating his business empire. He settled in London, which refused earlier Russian demands to extradite him.

流亡的俄罗斯亿万富翁鲍里斯.别列佐夫斯基呼吁推翻俄罗斯总统普京后，俄罗斯再次要求英国将他引渡回俄罗斯。俄罗斯外长拉夫罗夫星期五说，别列佐夫斯基呼吁暴力推翻政府为引渡他提供了足够的理由。俄罗斯总检察长说，他已指令俄罗斯有关当局对别列佐夫斯基的言论进行刑事立案。别列佐夫斯基推翻普京的呼吁刊登在星期五出版的英国卫报上。

别列佐夫斯基说，现在只有通过暴力才可能改变俄罗斯政权，而不是通过民主方式。他说，他与俄罗斯政界精英保持联系， 但是拒绝透露任何他盟友的名字。他还说，他资助这些人的努力。

2000年，当政府开始调查他的商业帝国以后，别列佐夫斯基逃离了俄罗斯。别列佐夫斯基后来定居伦敦。英国政府拒绝了俄罗斯当时提出的引渡别列佐夫斯基的要求。