Russia demands ‘urgent’ consular access to Bout: Lavrov

Russia is demanding the United States urgently grants its officials consular access to suspected arms dealer Viktor Bout after his extradition from Thailand, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday.

“They (the United States) are obliged to fulfill international norms. We expect that this will be done urgently,” the Interfax news agency quoted him as telling reporters in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

“If there is a delay in the consular access then this will be another violation of the norms of international rules which have already been broken more than once in this case,” he added.

Bout earlier Wednesday pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges in front of a New York federal court after being extradited from Thailand against Moscow’s wishes.