U.S. urges Russia to probe suspected poisonings
Source: Reuters
(Updates with statement on women's condition from Los Angeles hospital, paragraphs 5-7) WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - The United States urged Moscow on Thursday to quickly investigate the suspected poisoning in Russia of two U.S. citizens with thallium, a highly toxic metal that can cause a slow, painful death. "As the U.S. government we want to ensure that our citizens have answers to the questions that obviously came up -- how did this happen?," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack of the suspected poisoning of the mother and daughter. "We will be checking in with Russia for progress (on the investigation)," he told reporters. The two U.S. citizens, identified by the U.S. embassy in Moscow as Marina and Yana Kovalevsky, were initially hospitalized in Moscow and returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said in a written statement that both women were listed in "fair but stable condition" as of Thursday afternoon. "It's still to early to determine exactly what may have caused their illness but at this point there does not appear to be any radiation involved," hospital spokeswoman Sandy Van said. "They are currently receiving tests to determine the diagnosis; however they are both being treated for presumptive thallium poisoning," Van said. "Their date of discharge has not been determined. They are expected to remain in the hospital for a few more days." Thallium was originally suspected in the murder in London last year of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who was later found to have died of poisoning by polonium. Russian media said Marina Kovalevsky and her daughter emigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union in the 1980s but frequently visited Russia. The United States has in recent months tackled Russia over a series of human rights issues, from the deaths of journalists to complaints over a new law for foreign aid groups. Washington has been pressing Moscow to solve the murder of U.S. journalist Paul Klebnikov, the editor of the Russian edition of Forbes Magazine who was shot in the Russian capital more than two years ago.(Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles)
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