Ten U.S. diplomats told to leave Belarus

By Andrei Makhovsky

MINSK (Reuters) - Ten U.S. diplomats were ordered to leave Belarus within 72 hours on Wednesday, intensifying a dispute over sanctions and human rights in the former Soviet republic.

U.S. charge d'affaires Jonathan Moore, speaking to reporters after being summoned to the Foreign Ministry, said the embassy would abide by orders from Belarussian authorities.

The U.S. State Department called the move unjustified and unwarranted, but gave no hint whether Washington would retaliate.

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, has long been accused of crushing freedom of speech and assembly. He has been barred from both the United States and European Union on allegations he rigged his 2006 re-election.

Moore said he believed new sanctions would be introduced if Belarus did not release all detainees deemed to be political prisoners. "Yes. I believe it will be soon," he said.

Belarussian authorities said Washington had failed to comply with a demand to reduce its embassy's staff, the second this year.

"The Foreign Ministry provided a list of 10 diplomats which must leave the country in the course of 72 hours," Moore said. He said 15 diplomats were now in Minsk.

"We will do everything possible so that the U.S. diplomats leave the country within the required time limit."