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Belarus orders out US diplomats | Belarus orders out US diplomats |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Belarus has ordered a number of US diplomats to leave the country. | Belarus has ordered a number of US diplomats to leave the country. |
The ex-Soviet republic's latest move comes amid a row over human rights violations and follows the expulsion of the US ambassador in March. | |
The foreign ministry summoned the most senior US diplomat, presenting him with a list of officials "declared personae non gratae and required to leave". | The foreign ministry summoned the most senior US diplomat, presenting him with a list of officials "declared personae non gratae and required to leave". |
Jonathan Moore said he had been given a list of 10 US diplomats who had been ordered to leave within 72 hours. | |
"We will do everything possible so that the US diplomats leave the country within the required time limit," Mr Moore said. | |
The US embassy says it now has 15 diplomats in Minsk. | |
Defiant | |
The diplomatic expulsions were initially ordered after Washington imposed sanctions on the country's state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim. | |
The firm accounts for about a third of the country's foreign currency earnings. | |
Belarus said its embassy staff in Washington had been cut to six, but that the US had not cut staff enough. | |
The US - along with the European Union - has also restricted the travel of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and members of his inner circle. | |
In his annual address to the nation on Tuesday, Mr Lukashenko expressed defiance over pressure from the US and EU to free political prisoners in order to improve ties. | In his annual address to the nation on Tuesday, Mr Lukashenko expressed defiance over pressure from the US and EU to free political prisoners in order to improve ties. |
"If the Americans introduce new sanctions and think we will collapse, that's rubbish," he said, adding that no political prisoners would be released. | "If the Americans introduce new sanctions and think we will collapse, that's rubbish," he said, adding that no political prisoners would be released. |