Russia wants the USA to reduce diplomatic personnel further

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia intends, if necessary, to demand the US should reduce the American diplomatic mission further.

Georgy Borisenko, the chairman of the Department for North America at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said that diplomacy follows the principle of reciprocity, "and the Americans are very well aware of that."

"They have behaved in a similar way before, which means they agree that Russia can take mirror measures in relation to their diplomatic institutions in Russia," the official said.

According to Borisenko, it will not be difficult for Moscow to establish real parity in the number of employees of diplomatic missions. He also noted that the figure of 455 people included the staff of the Russian permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.

Borisenko stressed that the Russian side has a full right to reduce the number of employees to 300.

In connection with tensions in the relationship between Russia and the United States, Moscow offered Washington to reduce the personnel of diplomatic missions in Russia to 455 people. After that, the Americans demanded closing the Russian consulate in San Francisco and two buildings of trade missions in Washington and New York before September 2.

Pravda.Ru

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