MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. Washington continues to deny Russia access to its diplomatic property and still has not responded to requests on the issue, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Monday.
"In fact, there is no progress, we are still denied access to our property. We will continue efforts to make sure that the US carries out its obligations under the Vienna Convention," he said, replying to a question from TASS about the United States’ reaction to requests by Russia that its diplomatic property be returned.
In 2017, the US authorities closed Russia’s Consulate General in San Francisco, the Russian trade mission in Washington DC and its rented office in New York as part of their anti-Russian sanctions. The first two facilities are Russia’s state property and enjoy diplomatic immunity. Moscow castigated the seizure of Russia’s diplomatic property as an openly hostile step and called on the United States to immediately return the facilities. In 2018, Washington shut down Russia’s Consulate General in Seattle (rented premises) and the consul general’s residence (diplomatic property).