The US has ordered Russia to shut down its consulate in San Francisco as well as annexes in New York and Washington DC in retaliation to Moscow’s reduction of US diplomatic personnel in Russia.
In the latest round of punitive measures between the two countries, the US State Department ordered Russia to close the diplomatic offices within the next two days.
‘Achieving parity’: US orders closure of #Russia‘n Consulate in San Francisco – State Department https://t.co/gprdBMkuxE pic.twitter.com/iuV6yFXKkh
— RT America (@RT_America) August 31, 2017
Press TV reports:
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The State Department described the Russian government’s order that the US cut down the number of diplomatic staff in Russia as “unwarranted and detrimental.”
“The United States has fully implemented the decision by the government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.
“We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries,” she added.
The Russian consul in San Francisco Sergei Petrov told RIA-Novosti news agency that his consulate “will act in accordance with the decision that will be taken by the Russian leadership regarding this decision by the Americans.”
“Right now the foreign ministry will decide on the procedure of the shut down, where people will go, and so forth,” he said.
Russia has maintained a diplomatic presence in San Francisco since 1852. It closed the facility in 1924 due to a lack of funds but reopened it in 1934.
Russia voices ‘regret’
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed “regret at the escalation of tensions” after the US move.
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Lavrov to inform him about Washington’s decision.
“In response the [Russian foreign] minister expressed regret at the escalation of tensions in bilateral relations,” it said.
“Moscow will examine the new measures announced by the Americans in detail after which our reaction will be announced,” it added.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry in August ordered the US embassy to reduce its diplomatic presence to 455 diplomats and staff by September 1, after the US Congress approved new sanctions against Russia.
That means a drastic reduction of more than 755 diplomatic staff so that the size of the embassy would match the size of Russia’s mission in the US.
US-Russia ties at ‘very dangerous low’
US President Donald Trump warned that Washington’s ties with Moscow are at a “very dangerous low,” and blamed Congress for the situation, after he reluctantly signed into law a sanctions bill against Russia.
The bill imposes tough additional sanctions on Russia over Moscow’s alleged meddling in the US presidential election and Crimea’s reunification with Russia in 2014.
Trump signed the bill but strongly criticized it, calling the legislation “significantly flawed” with “unconstitutional provisions.”
