MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Latvian Ambassador to Moscow Maris Riekstins said on Wednesday that the discussion at the Russian Foreign Ministry, where he and his colleagues were summoned over the expulsion of Russian diplomats, was held in a professional manner.
"I can only say that the discussion was professional. Russian colleagues fulfilled their task, we listened to them, gave our comments, that’s it. We will inform the capitals [about the outcomes of the meeting]," he said, answering a question by TASS on whether the Russian Foreign Ministry plans to announce response measures to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from the Baltic States.
Lithuanian Ambassador Eitvydas Bajarunas and Minister-Counsellor of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow Piret Reintamm Benno left the Russian Foreign Ministry at the same time as Riekstins.
The diplomats spent about 45 minutes at the ministry.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia said on April 23 they were expelling Russian diplomats (one from Latvia, one from Estonia and two from Lithuania) for indulging in activities incompatible with the diplomatic status. On April 22, Slovakia declared three Russian diplomats personae non gratae. The four countries’ authorities said these steps had been taken in solidarity with the Czech Republic, which accuses Moscow of involvement in the ammunition depot blasts in Vrbetice in 2014. On April 17, Czech officials announced a decision to expel 18 employees of the Russian Embassy in Prague, who were allegedly "officers of Russian intelligence services." The Russian Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest to the Czech government and declared 20 employees of the Czech Embassy in Russia’s capital personae non gratae.