WASHINGTON, September 4. /TASS/. Consulate departments of the Russian Embassy in the United States will not be decreasing the intensity of work despite unfriendly steps on behalf of the American authorities, Nikolai Lakhonin, a spokesman for the embassy, said in a statement.
"Under the context of unfriendly steps on behalf of the United States, which led to the closure of the largest Consulate General’s Office in the United States, we would like to stress that the rest of Russian consulate offices have no plans to slow down the intensity of work on the provision of the whole range of consulate services," Lakhonin said.
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On August 31, the United States authorities demanded Moscow close its consulate general in San Francisco, trade mission in Washington and its office in New York by September 2.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in statement that on September 2 the United States authorities had seized the buildings of Russia’s consulate general in San Francisco and trade mission in Washington, which are Russia’s property and enjoy diplomatic immunity.
Moreover, the Russian personnel were denied access to the premises the Russian trade mission rents in New York. Moscow described the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the United States as an openly hostile step and called on the US authorities to return the diplomatic facilities immediately.