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Restrictions for US diplomats on monitoring Russian polls ‘forced step’ — ministry

Moscow’s diplomatic note sent to Washington warning of restrictions for US diplomats on monitoring future elections in Russia is a forced measure, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says

MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. Moscow’s diplomatic note sent to Washington warning of restrictions for US diplomats on monitoring future elections in Russia is a forced measure, Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"The answer is that based on the principles of reciprocity the American diplomats will see the same relation to them on these issues. Unfortunately, we are forced to respond at the same level that Washington speaks to us," the diplomat said.

Zakharova stressed that the US-Russia dialogue in this tone is "destructive" and does not allow bringing the bilateral relations back to a "normal level."

"We say that if we want to solve global issues, the relations need to be equal…as this concerns the responsibility. The responsibility on a global scale," she said.

Russia’s embassy in Washington informed the US State Department in October of the plans for Russian diplomats to observe the elections in the United States on November 8.

However, in response, the embassy received a note that all the Russian overseas missions in the United States were required to turn to the mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on this issue.

In response, Russia sent to the US embassy a note warning Washington of restrictions for the participation of US diplomats on monitoring the next elections in Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Tuesday.