Moscow, December 1, 2018 : Anatoly Antonov, Russian Ambassador to the US has stated that Washington intentionally distorts the facts about the expulsion of Russian diplomats. “The US is trying deceive the American public and international public, deliberately distorting facts.
the situation is exactly opposite,” Antonov was quoted as saying Tuesday in a Facebook post by the Russian Embassy in Washington.
The Ambassador stated that Washington was the first to establish a three-year limit for long-term assignments for employees at the Embassy in Washington, D.C.and the Russian Consulates Generals in New York and Houston, whereas other diplomatic missions have a five year limit, Xinhua reported.
“The US side has made clear that in the event of a refusal of fulfilling this request, the immunity, and other diplomatic privileges, of the Russian employees would be revoked,” he stated, calling this move a “de facto expulsion.”
The Russian envoy stressed the importance of having a respectful and honest dialogue with Washington about the matter, rather than limiting the sovereign rights of the country in staffing decisions.
He said, “We urge Washington to comply with international obligations in regard to diplomatic property” and to practice normal functioning of diplomatic missions.
Jalina Porter, Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, stated Monday that the expulsion of several Russian diplomats from the US was not an expulsion but an “approach to create greater parity with diplomatic missions.”
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated in October that 55 Russian diplomats will be leaving the US “in coming months.”
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