MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Moscow is launching a procedure to stop the practice of hiring citizens of Russia and third countries by US diplomatic missions to Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a news conference on Friday.

"We are launching a procedure in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and in accordance with Russian legislation, including the Labor Code, which should stop the practice of hiring the citizens of Russian and third countries by the US diplomatic missions to Russia," the minister said.

Lavrov pointed out that Moscow had long been telling Washington about "the unacceptable disparity" in the numbers of diplomatic staff.

"The issue has been discussed throughout many years. Instead of seeking compromise, mutually acceptable solutions, the United States has merely tightened the conditions of functioning for our embassy, our consulates as well as for our mission to the United Nations," the Russian foreign minister added.

According to Lavrov, in order to reach a parity with the United States in this issue, Russia has resorted to the practice that the US has long been using.

"This practice is quite usual, since it is widely employed by the Americans. We do not have this practice, so we are introducing parity in this regard," Lavrov concluded.