BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
25/03/2008
U.S. to reduce its embassy staff in Belarus
MOSCOW, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States will reduce the staff number at its embassy in Minsk at the demand of Belarus, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Monday.
The top U.S. diplomat in Belarus Jonathan Moore said on Monday a number of U.S. diplomats will leave Belarus at the request of the Belarussian side for equal diplomatic presence, said Belarussian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Andrei Popov, the press secretary of the Belarussian Foreign Ministry, said there is the need to equalize on a parity basis the level of the presence of U.S. diplomats in Belarus, and, respectively, of Belarussian diplomats in the United States.
"The Vienna Convention offers such opportunities full well," Popov said.
The specific number of diplomats to leave Belarus is not given. However, the U.S. embassy in Minsk previously has 35 employees, while the Belarussian embassy in Washington has 18.
On March 7, Minsk recalled its ambassador from the United States and urged the U.S. envoy to leave the country for a consultation.
On March 12, U.S. ambassador to Belarus Karen Stewart left Belarus for Washington, and on March 17, the Belarussian Foreign Ministry suggested that the staff of the U.S. embassy in Minsk be reduced.
Bilateral ties between the United States and Belarus has been tense since Washington imposed new sanctions against Belarussian national oil products firm Belneftekhim last year.
Source:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/25/content_7851818.htm
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