The United States hopes to avoid retaliatory measures from Moscow after the closure of the Consulate General of Russia in San Francisco. About it to journalists on Tuesday, September 5, said the representative of the state Department, reports TASS.
“We hope to be able to avoid further retaliation from the Russian side and start to move towards the achievement of the objectives, which stated both our President,” said the American foreign Ministry. In the state Department declined to comment on possible actions in Moscow.
In addition, the state Department said that the decision to close the Russian diplomatic mission was legitimate. “Vienna Convention on consular relations indicates that all consular posts are established only with the consent of the receiving party. The US has withdrawn their consent,” — said in a statement received by RIA Novosti. It is specified that this agreement “does not preclude the imposition of restrictions in regard to the location of the Embassy buildings or units.”
August 31, the US authorities demanded to close until September 2, the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco and to cease the use of the building trade delegation in Washington and new York. As explained in the White house, these actions were a response to the reduction of the U.S. diplomatic presence in Russia.
On Saturday evening, September 2, in the buildings of Russian diplomatic missions, the representatives of the American authorities began actions that the Russian side regarded as a search.