Russian Protesters Demand to Know About Toxic River

A small group of Russian residents protested outside the Chinese consulate in Khabarovsk yesterday and pleaded during a meeting with Beijing's top diplomat for more information about a toxic spill set to flow into the Heilong River.

About 15 demonstrators - from the nationalist Rodina Party, joined by a handful of Cossacks in full military dress - carried red signs outside the Chinese consulate and chanted: "The Amur isn't a yellow river!" in reference to China. The Amur is known as the Heilong in China.

During a meeting with Chinese consul Fan Xianrong, Rodina representative Albert Kalinov complained of the secrecy surrounding the accident, which resulted in mains water supplies being cut for five days in Harbin , Heilongjiang , last week.

"If you say we are good neighbours, you shouldn't hide anything, everything should be clear," he said.

Mr Fan said that the Chinese authorities were in daily contact with their Russian counterparts and the consulate was working tirelessly to translate all information.