British PM seeks to mend ties with the Kremlin - Reuters Africa

* Cameron's charm offensive stumbles in Kremlin

* Russia refuses to extradite Litvinenko murder suspect

* First visit by British leader since spy poisoning in London

By Adrian Croft

MOSCOW, Sept 12 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron's attempt to improve ties with Russia stumbled on Monday when President Dmitry Medvedev bluntly refused to extradite a man wanted for the murder of a Kremlin critic in London five years ago.

Cameron, on the first visit by a British prime minister since former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko died in London from poisoning by radioactive polonium-210 in 2006, pitched thriving business ties as a way to improve relations.

But behind the smiles and even a joke about an apparent KGB attempt to recruit Cameron on a trip to the Soviet Union 26 years ago, the trip yielded little apart from just over 200 million pounds ($318 million) worth of announced business deals.

Medvedev illustrated the gulf that remained between London and Moscow by saying he would never extradite the Russian man whom British prosecutors want to put on trial for the murder.

"This will never happen," said Medvedev.   Continued...