MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. Moscow is waiting for official notifications from Washington on the redundancy process for American diplomatic missions operating in Russia, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
- Foreign Ministry’s branch ready to consider employment for former US Embassy staff
- US diplomatic mission assesses impact of staff cuts
- Diplomat comments on US diplomatic staff cuts and possible delays in issuing visas
- Russian Foreign Ministry controls reduction of US diplomatic staff
- White House pondering response to reduction of US missions staff in Russia
"The American side said that it will officially respond within the specified terms to what was proposed by the Russian side. It was voiced several times, at least, during our diplomatic contacts," Zakharova noted. "So, we are waiting for official statements and clarification remarks from the US. I don’t know in which way they’ll do it."
On July 28, Moscow suggested Washington should equal by September 1 the number of its diplomatic and support staff working in Russia to the number of Russian diplomats working in the US. This means that the total number of staff working in American diplomatic missions in Russia will be reduced to 455 people. On July 30, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with VGTRK TV presenter Vladimir Solovyev that 755 US diplomats and support staff employees had to leave Russia. Besides, Russia suspended the use by the US Embassy of its facilities on Dorozhnaya St, Moscow, and in the Silver Forest (Serebryany Bor) on August 1.