Sergei Ryabkov
American diplomats may be restricted in the movement in Russia, if the United States would resort to such steps in relation to the Russian diplomats. About it RIA Novosti said Russian Deputy foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
“The only major and irrevocable principle of our approach to this matter is parity. If we do reduce and in some limit, so this way will be limited and reduced opportunities for U.S. diplomats to navigate normally in Russia,” said Ryabkov, adding that he would not discuss specifics.
Monday, September 11, Ryabkov held in Helsinki consultations with U.S. Undersecretary of state for political Affairs Thomas Shannon. The talks touched upon the problematic aspects in bilateral relations, including the functioning of diplomatic missions.
At the meeting, Ryabkov also told Shannon that Russia will not delay the response measures to address the diplomatic missions of the United States. “Some steps in regard to our diplomatic missions and consular posts has been undertaken so that we all left, in fact, the time for reaction. Accordingly, we will not delay the point of view of such measures,” — said the diplomat.
On the question of whether Russia can move on to retaliatory steps in the course of a month, Ryabkov said: “I don’t think we are talking about such a long period”.
At the meeting with Shannon Ryabkov told him the protest of the hostile actions of Washington and the assault on diplomatic immunity.
Russia September 2, at the request of the American side has closed the Consulate General in San Francisco, in the building were searched. According to the US, such demands were a response to Moscow’s proposal to reduce to 455 the number of personnel in U.S. diplomatic missions in the Russian Federation. Earlier, the Russian foreign Ministry responded thus to the adoption by the Senate of the Congress of a bill that toughens sanctions against Russia.