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| US expels last Belarus diplomats | |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| The US has ordered the expulsion of the remaining six Belarus diplomats in Washington and New York, the Associated Press news agency has said. | The US has ordered the expulsion of the remaining six Belarus diplomats in Washington and New York, the Associated Press news agency has said. |
| The US is to close its own embassy in the Belarus capital Minsk, AP reports. | The US is to close its own embassy in the Belarus capital Minsk, AP reports. |
| Belarus has been given until 16 May to close its embassy in Washington and its consulate in New York, US officials told AP. | |
| On Wednesday, Belarus ordered the expulsion of 10 US diplomats as relations worsen between the countries. | On Wednesday, Belarus ordered the expulsion of 10 US diplomats as relations worsen between the countries. |
| The US was given 72 hours to send the diplomats home, leaving five staff at the embassy in Minsk. | The US was given 72 hours to send the diplomats home, leaving five staff at the embassy in Minsk. |
| US sanctions | US sanctions |
| American officials said Belarus was told of the decision to expel its diplomats from the US in simultaneous meetings between representatives of the two countries in Minsk and Washington, AP said. | American officials said Belarus was told of the decision to expel its diplomats from the US in simultaneous meetings between representatives of the two countries in Minsk and Washington, AP said. |
| In March, the ex-Soviet republic ordered the US ambassador to leave. | In March, the ex-Soviet republic ordered the US ambassador to leave. |
| 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. |
| The US has been strongly critical of the human rights situation in Belarus. | The US has been strongly critical of the human rights situation in Belarus. |
| 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. |
| Both the US and the EU have demanded that President Lukashenko frees political prisoners, and allows more democratic regimes, before normal relations can be restored. | Both the US and the EU have demanded that President Lukashenko frees political prisoners, and allows more democratic regimes, before normal relations can be restored. |