Belarus seeks new reduction in U.S. embassy staff
(Adds State Department comment, paragraphs 3-4)
By Andrei Makhovsky
MINSK, March 31 (Reuters) - Ex-Soviet Belarus, locked in a diplomatic row over sanctions and human rights with Washington, has asked for a second reduction in staffing at the U.S. embassy in Minsk, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The U.S. ambassador left Belarus this month at the urging of authorities angry at what they saw as new sanctions on oil products firm Belneftekhim. Nearly 50 percent of U.S. embassy staff also left, leaving 17 people at the Minsk facility.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos condemned the move to reduce staff further.
"We consider these demands unwarranted and unjustified and we are considering our response," Gallegos told Reuters.
The Belarussian Foreign Ministry, in a note delivered to the U.S. charge d'affaires, said the U.S. measures had obliged them to reduce staff at the Belarus embassy in Washington and it demanded equivalent cuts at the U.S. embassy in Minsk.
"Given the repeated U.S. refusal to rescind new measures against Belneftekhim and the consistent U.S. line on reducing contacts. ... Belarus has decided to further reduce the size of its embassy in Washington," the ministry said on its Web site, without specifying the number of people involved.
"It is being proposed that the U.S. side reduce the size of its embassy staff by the same numbers and within the same deadlines," it said.
The United States and European Union have long imposed sanctions on Belarus, including an entry ban on President Alexander Lukashenko over human rights concerns. Washington has called Belarus the "last dictatorship in Europe."
Lukashenko began seeking better ties with the West after quarreling with Russia last year over energy prices.
But last week, security forces broke up an opposition rally and courts jailed or fined dozens of activists, prompting stern condemnations from Western countries.
Ambassador Karen Stewart, speaking in Washington, described her departure as temporary and said a resumption of dialogue would be helped by the release of Belarus's most prominent detainee, Alexander Kozulin. The EU has issued a similar demand.
Belarussian officials have said improving relations with Washington depends on the lifting of all U.S. sanctions.
Belarus has been particularly irritated by the ban imposed by Washington last year on all dealings with Belneftekhim and said an explanatory note this month amounted to new sanctions. Washington denied any such measures were taken.
Belneftekhim's activities account for about a third of Belarus' foreign currency earnings.
Belarussian officials last week also said local employees of the U.S. embassy had been engaging in espionage, allegations denied by Washington.
Lukashenko maintains lavish state subsidies and benefits, and remains broadly popular in the country bordering Russia and three EU members. (Additional reporting by Sue Pleming in Washington) (Writing by Ron Popeski; editing by Mary Gabriel and Mohammad Zargham)
By Andrei Makhovsky
MINSK, March 31 (Reuters) - Ex-Soviet Belarus, locked in a diplomatic row over sanctions and human rights with Washington, has asked for a second reduction in staffing at the U.S. embassy in Minsk, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The U.S. ambassador left Belarus this month at the urging of authorities angry at what they saw as new sanctions on oil products firm Belneftekhim. Nearly 50 percent of U.S. embassy staff also left, leaving 17 people at the Minsk facility.
In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos condemned the move to reduce staff further.
"We consider these demands unwarranted and unjustified and we are considering our response," Gallegos told Reuters.
The Belarussian Foreign Ministry, in a note delivered to the U.S. charge d'affaires, said the U.S. measures had obliged them to reduce staff at the Belarus embassy in Washington and it demanded equivalent cuts at the U.S. embassy in Minsk.
"Given the repeated U.S. refusal to rescind new measures against Belneftekhim and the consistent U.S. line on reducing contacts. ... Belarus has decided to further reduce the size of its embassy in Washington," the ministry said on its Web site, without specifying the number of people involved.
"It is being proposed that the U.S. side reduce the size of its embassy staff by the same numbers and within the same deadlines," it said.
The United States and European Union have long imposed sanctions on Belarus, including an entry ban on President Alexander Lukashenko over human rights concerns. Washington has called Belarus the "last dictatorship in Europe."
Lukashenko began seeking better ties with the West after quarreling with Russia last year over energy prices.
But last week, security forces broke up an opposition rally and courts jailed or fined dozens of activists, prompting stern condemnations from Western countries.
Ambassador Karen Stewart, speaking in Washington, described her departure as temporary and said a resumption of dialogue would be helped by the release of Belarus's most prominent detainee, Alexander Kozulin. The EU has issued a similar demand.
Belarussian officials have said improving relations with Washington depends on the lifting of all U.S. sanctions.
Belarus has been particularly irritated by the ban imposed by Washington last year on all dealings with Belneftekhim and said an explanatory note this month amounted to new sanctions. Washington denied any such measures were taken.
Belneftekhim's activities account for about a third of Belarus' foreign currency earnings.
Belarussian officials last week also said local employees of the U.S. embassy had been engaging in espionage, allegations denied by Washington.
Lukashenko maintains lavish state subsidies and benefits, and remains broadly popular in the country bordering Russia and three EU members. (Additional reporting by Sue Pleming in Washington) (Writing by Ron Popeski; editing by Mary Gabriel and Mohammad Zargham)
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