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Belarus expulsions 'unjustified' | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The US has said that Belarus' decision to order the expulsion of 10 US diplomats is unjustified. | |
Belarus summoned the highest US embassy official in Minsk to the foreign ministry on Wednesday, presenting him with a list of "personae non gratae". | |
The ex-Soviet republic's latest move follows the expulsion of the US ambassador in March. | |
US State Department Spokesperson Sean McCormack said the action was both unfair and "unwarranted". | |
"We are considering our response to this action," Mr McCormack said, according to Reuters. | |
A senior US diplomat, Jonathan Moore, said he had been given a list of 10 US diplomats who had been ordered to leave within 72 hours. | |
He said they would do everything possible to comply with the request and ensure the staff left the country within the set time limit. | |
The US embassy says it currently has 15 diplomats in Minsk. | |
Defiant | Defiant |
The diplomatic expulsions were initially ordered after Washington imposed sanctions on the country's state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |