MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The US has informed Russia using channels of the Department of State they expect Russian diplomatic property, located in respectable locations in San Francisco and Washington, will be sold in their favor, the Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with the Rossiya 1 television channel on Sunday.
"I am telling you a sensation. It is difficult to believe, officially the Department of State made it clear to us, we were told directly, that they expect that we shall sell those facilities to the US," she said.
"They expect from us that we shall sell those properties to the American government. Today, we shall make a set of pictures of those facilities, so that it is clear what we are talking about - those are not one-bedroom flats in the outskirts. Those are central locations in Washington and San Francisco. The facilities, the so-called residences fare the most respectable locations and this is why it was so interesting to host events there," she added.
According to her, the US representatives also said the Russian side "would not be able to do anything" about its diplomatic property. "We are speaking not just about some property, but about the property, which is in territory of a country, which always repeats its adherence to protection of private property," she said.
The US actions in relation to the Russian diplomatic property is "an absolutely new not only in diplomacy, but also in security," she continued. "Tomorrow, nobody would give a penny for security, for example, of any diplomatic facilities of any country, in any other country. The biggest country, claiming to be the world police, is now involved directly in the total off limits," she said in conclusion.
Earlier on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry published a statement, saying on September 2, the US authorities seized buildings of the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco and the Trade Representation in Washington, which are the Russian property enjoying the diplomatic immunity," the document reads. "To Russian representatives have been closed access also into the building of the Trade Representation’s branch in New York."
"We consider this situation as a clearly hostile act, as Washington’ grave violation of the international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomacy and Consular Relations, the bilateral Consular Convention," the Foreign Ministry said, calling on the US to return immediately the diplomatic facilities.