The Belarusian authorities demanded that the United States close the offices of the Public Relations Department of the American Embassy and the Agency for International Development (USAID), the American Center in Minsk, as well as dismiss 20 Belarusian diplomatic staff. About it it says in a diplomat’s statement Julie Fisher, the TV channel writes “Present Time” (Created by RFE / RL with the participation of Voice of America).
“These actions reflect the deep concern of the Belarusian authorities about diplomacy, relations between people and an independent society,” it was reported.
The United States notes that it does not deviate from its opinion on the development of Belarus.
“These recent measures will not force us to abandon our work on informing and impede the development of relations between the Belarusians of our countries,” Fischer said.
Representative of the US Department of State Ned Price believes that such steps reflect the deep uncertainty of the official Belarusian authorities in diplomacy, relations between people, openness and civil society.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus in August withdrew previously issued September for the nomination of Julie Fisher as the US ambassador to this country and the US to 1 short of its embassy in Minsk to five country people. Official Minsk explained such measures as a response to “Washington’s actions to reduce cooperation in all spheres and to stifle the country economically.”
Prior to this, the United States expanded sanctions against Belarus and included more than 20 individuals, the National Olympic Committee, the Investigative Committee, companies and state-owned enterprises. At the request of the United States, the Consulate General of Belarus in New York stopped working on October 21.