Russia accuses British diplomat of spying

MOSCOW, July 11 (UPI) -- A Russian Foreign Office spokeswoman said a member of the British diplomatic corps in Moscow has been accused of espionage.

"I can confirm that a member of the British staff is suspected of spying by the Russians. He is the acting director of U.K. Trade and Industry. However, we do not comment on intelligence matters," the spokeswoman told RIA Novosti, the official Russian news agency.

Several Russian media outlets said the diplomat under suspicion, Christopher Bowers, was named by a security source as high-ranking member of the British intelligence service, the news agency reported Friday.

The Foreign Office source said Bowers came to security sources' attention because of meeting he had with human rights activists from Russia's North Caucasus region. Bowers also is accused of working undercover while a BBC reporter in Uzbekistan.

Media sources in Britain suggested the development may be linked to Bowers' work with the Russian-British joint oil venture TNK-BP as the British embassy's senior trade official, RIA Novosti said. TNK-BP's shareholders are in a dispute about strategy, management and control of the company.