Moscow - Russia retaliated on Friday against a wave of
expulsions of Russian diplomats from Western countries by expelling
the same number of diplomats from those countries.
Numerous ambassadors were summoned to appear at Russia's Foreign
Ministry to receive the order for expulsions from the country, amid a
dispute that has devastated Russia's already tense relations with the
West.
Earlier this week, the United States, Germany and more than 20 other
countries announced that they were expelling Russian diplomats in an
expression of solidarity with Britain.
Britain accuses Russia of perpetrating a chemical weapon attack on a
former Russian double agent, Sergei Skripal, in the southern English
city of Salisbury earlier this month.
The German Foreign Ministry said it was no surprise that Russia
implemented a reciprocal measure in reaction to Germany's expulsion
of Russian diplomats.
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"We had not taken the decision to expel the Russian diplomats
lightly," the German Foreign Ministry said Friday in an emailed
statement.
"Our reaction in the Skripal case was necessary and appropriate as a
political signal, out of solidarity with the United Kingdom and
because Russia has refused to give any clarification of the facts,"
the statement said.
Britain had already expelled nearly two dozen Russian diplomats
following the incident this month. Russia retaliated at the time with
a reciprocal number of expulsions.
Then Russia took it a step further on Friday, ordering Britain to
reduce the number of staff members at its embassy and consulates in
Russia to a level that matches the number of such Russian staff in
Britain.
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Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office called Russia's order
"regrettable, but in light of Russia's previous behaviour, we
anticipated a response."
"Russia is in flagrant breach of international law and the Chemical
Weapons Convention and actions by countries around the world have
demonstrated the depth of international concern," the British
statement said.
Russia has adamantly denied any state involvement in the incident and
has even suggested that the attack could have been perpetrated by
Britain as a provocation.
Britain has said it was most probable that the Russian state was
behind the attack on Skripal, who was released from Russian custody
in 2010 in a high-profile spy swap.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said Friday that in a reciprocal measure it
expelled the same number of diplomats from Albania, Australia,
Canada, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia,
Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and
Ukraine.
Russia is also considering measures against Belgium, Georgia, Hungary
and Montenegro, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador on Thursday to
inform him that Russia was expelling 60 US diplomats and closing the
US consulate in St Petersburg.
The US announced earlier this week that it was expelling the same
number of Russian diplomats and closed the Russian consulate in
Seattle.
German Ambassador Ruediger von Fritsch affirmed after his meeting at
the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday that "Germany's interest in
having a good relationship with Russia remains. We remain open to
dialogue."
"In the face of the grave incident in Salisbury, it is up to the
Russian government to do everything it can to provide clarity and
transparency and to answer legitimate questions," Von Fritsch told
reporters outside the ministry in Moscow.