Official Minsk insists American diplomats should leave country
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11:22, — Politics
Minsk expects the U.S. embassy to cut its staffing again. The United States haven’t responded the second demand of the Belarusian side on reducing embassy staff in Minsk to 7 persons.
“The U.S. Department of State spread its statement last week. No new actions were taken by the U.S.” Interfax learnt from the embassy in Minsk.
Tom Casey, the State Department’s representative, said Washington considered new demand of Belarus to reduce staff of the American embassy in Minsk to be “unwarranted and unjustified.”
“We believe this latest request, like several before it, is unwarranted and unjustified. We will certainly be continuing to discuss that issue with the government of Belarus," Casey said.
U.S. ambassador to Belarus Karen Stewart was recommended to leave the host country “for consultations” due to the economic sanctions against Belarusian Belneftekhim concern, imposed by the United States. Belarusian ambassador to the U.S. Mikhail Khvastou was recalled for the same purpose.
