BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/04/2008

Belarus expels ten US diplomats

Belarus has declared a number of US diplomats 'persona non grata' and required them to leave the territory of the ex-Soviet state.

The foreign ministry summoned the head of the US mission Jonathan Moore Wednesday and presented him with a list of 10 US diplomats required to leave the Belarus Republic within 72 hours.

Moore said he would do everything possible so that the US diplomats leave the country within the required time limit.

Belarus says since it has reduced diplomatic staff at its Washington embassy to six people, including the ambassador, it expects the US embassy in Minsk to do the same.

US-Belarusian relations have been tense since Washington imposed new sanctions against Belarus' oil firm Belneftekhim, which accounts for about a third of the country's foreign currency earnings, over alleged human rights abuses last November.

The US embassy said it would make a statement later on Wednesday. The embassy says it now has 15 diplomats in Minsk.

Source:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=53827§ionid=351020606

Google