BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/04/2008

Belarus Orders 10 US Diplomats To Leave

(RTTNews) - The Government of Belarus has ordered 10 US diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours, said Jonathan Moore, the US charge d'affaires, on Wednesday.

"The foreign ministry provided a list of 10 diplomats which must leave the country in the course of 72 hours," Jonathan Moore told reporters. "We will do everything possible so that the US diplomats leave the country within the required time limit", he added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Belarus also issued a statement confirming the expulsion order. The statement said that the charge d'affaires Jonathan Moore was summoned and presented with a list of diplomats who must leave.

"In connection with a refusal of the US side to follow the recommendation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Belarus on reducing the US Embassy staff in Minsk, Jonathan Moore was handed a note of the Foreign Ministry and given a list of the US diplomats announced non grata persons and who are to leave the territory of Belarus," said the statement.

Earlier, Belarus had reduced the number of staff in its embassy in Washington to six and had asked US to take similar steps. The expulsion order follows the US government's refusal to comply with the Belarusian request to reduce the number of staff in its embassy in Minsk to six.

Moreover, Belarusian ambassador Mikhail Khvastou was recalled from Washington on March 7 after the US administration imposed sanctions on the country's state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim. Soon afterwards, the US ambassador to Belarus, Karen Stewart, also left Minsk on request of the Belarusian government.

Source:

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080430%5cACQRTT200804301238RTTRADERUSEQUITY_1330.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Belarus%20Orders%2010%20US%20Diplomats%20To%20Leave

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