Belarus embassy in Washington, USA.
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Belarus May Close U.S. Embassy
The U.S. State Department has demanded that Belarus close its embassy in Washington and consulate in New York. An anonymous Associated Press State Department source said that the U.S. embassy in Minsk will be closed as well. The Americans want the Belarusians out of their premises thee by May 16 ad promise to have their Minsk embassy closed by May 2.
State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey officially denied that the U.S. administration has decided to close the American embassy in Minsk or demand the closure of the Belarusian embassy and consulate. Casey said that a “full range” of responsive measures were being considered, but no decision has been made yet.
Two days ago, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry informed the U.S. charge d'affaires in Belarus Jonathan Moore that the staff at the Belarusian embassy in Washington would be reduced to six people on April 30, as the U.S. had been advised of in advance. Because of the Americans' refusal to follow the Belarusian Foreign Ministry's recommendation to cut its Minsk embassy staff accordingly, Moore was given a note by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry and a list of American diplomats that were being declared personae non gratae.
Relations between Belarus and the U.S. have been tense since the U.S. imposed additional economic sanctions on the Belneftekhim enterprises last autumn. The U.S. State Department froze the Belarusian state corporation's financial accounts and prohibited U.S. companies to do business with it after Belarusian authorities refused to release opposition members from prison. The current tensions, with the recall of the ambassadors, is due, however, to the State Department's explanation of its decision to impose sanctions on companies controlled by Belneftekhim.
www.kommersant.com
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