BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/03/2008

Staff of US embassy in Belarus to be reduced by half

MINSK, March 27 (Itar-Tass) - The number of staff members of the U.S. embassy in Belarus will be reduced by half - to 17 people - on Thursday on the demand of the Belarussian authorities. The number of diplomats working in Belarus will be reduced to 17 by the end of March 27, and this will be done in response to the demand of the Belarussian Foreign Ministry, says an official report issued by the U.S. embassy in Minsk.

The staff will be reduced in all the departments of the embassy, Jonathan Moore, U.S. charge d'affairs ad interim in Belarus, told journalists. Only 17 American staff members will remain in the embassy by 15.00, local time.

Belarussian-American relations worsened after additional economic sanctions were imposed on enterprises of the Belneftechim Concern. Belarus announced that it was recalling its ambassador to the United States for consultations, and emphatically recommended Karen Stewart, U.S. ambassador to Belarus, to leave Belarus "for the same purpose." She followed the recommendation on March 12. Aside from it, the Belarussian Foreign Ministry recommended to the U.S. to reduce the staff of the U.S. embassy in Minsk "for evening up the level of diplomatic presence."

The Belarussian-American conflict was further aggravated last week, when "a U.S. spy network," created by the U.S. embassy, was exposed. This was reported by Belarussian TV and later confirmed by official representatives of the Belarussian State Security Committee.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12521839&PageNum=0

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