WASHINGTON, November 18. /TASS/. The US has been holding up the extension of visas for almost 60 employees of the Embassy and Consulate General of Russia in the United States, about 40 more diplomats have been waiting for their entry permits in Moscow, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told journalists on Wednesday.
"Our overseas agencies have plenty of problems. Almost 60 diplomats are still at the Embassy and Consulates General of Russia in the United States, <...> while the American side has been stalling the extension of their visas," he said, adding that counting the family members of the mentioned employees, that comes to 155 people. "About 40 diplomats are waiting for entry documents in Moscow, many of them have been on the "waiting list" for more than a year. We have had to face our family values being trampled on when some family members of diplomats have got visas, while others don’t have one," Antonov continued.
He pointed out that some employees of Russian diplomatic missions are also "waiting for the registration of accreditation documents, and there are problems with the registration of official vehicles," as well as the seized Russia’s diplomatic property that has not been returned.
According to the Russian ambassador, "the American side deliberately depicts itself as a victim of Moscow’s ‘visa restrictions’." "The reason is to pin all responsibility for the consular and visa troubles on Moscow, which does not reflect reality. In particular, it relates to the recent demand by American senators to expel 300 Russian diplomats. These sorts of initiatives exhibit the ignorance of their lawmakers, since that number of diplomats in the Embassy and Consulates General of Russia in the United States does not exist. In fact, this would mean the complete closure of all Russian bilateral foreign institutions in the United States," Antonov said.
In retaliation for the anti-Russian sanctions and the subsequent expulsion of diplomats, Moscow imposed restrictions on hiring Russian citizens and employees from third countries. The US Embassy in Moscow announced that beginning on May 12, it would reduce consular services, along with suspending the issuance of non-diplomatic visas. Visa issuance to diplomatic personnel also slowed down considerably. Since August 1, the US Embassy in Moscow has been functioning with only 120 employees, its lowest in five years. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the US diplomatic mission was free to fill the quota of 455 diplomats by employing American citizens.