BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

01/04/2008

Belarus Wants U.S. To Further Reduce Embassy Staff

Minsk has decided to reduce the number of diplomats at its embassy in Washington, and recommends that the United States do the same in Belarus, RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Belapan reported on March 31, quoting the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. A note informing the U.S. government about Minsk's move was handed to Jonathan Moore, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk, earlier the same day. The note reportedly explains that the decision was made because the U.S. government has "repeatedly refused to abolish additional restrictive measures of an economic nature" against Belarus's state petrochemical conglomerate Belnaftakhim, and because of the "U.S. administration's consistent policy aimed at scaling down contacts with the Belarusian side." "We consider these demands unwarranted and unjustified, and we are considering our response," U.S. State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos told Reuters on March 31. Washington reduced its embassy's staff by half to 17 people last week at the request of the Belarusian authorities (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 28, 2008). Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Minsk has resumed issuing visas to Belarusian citizens "in limited quantities," Belapan reported. On March 19, the U.S. mission announced the suspension of its visa services because of the Belarusian government's urgent request for staff cuts. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/04/3-cee/cee-010408.asp

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