Russia Questions Validity of NATO Request to Reduce Mission Staff at HQ

NATO has circulated a guideline limiting the number of staff in all 'partner delegations' to 30 in order to better manage relations with the expanding number of partner nations.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — NATO attempts to regulate the number of accredited staff at foreign missions to the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels poses a series of questions, including their validity in terms of key accords on Russia-NATO cooperation, Russia's Ambassador to the Alliance Alexander Grushko said Friday.

NATO has circulated a guideline limiting the number of staff in all 'partner delegations' to 30, citing the need to better manage relations with the expanding number of partner nations.

"This logic, along with attempts to give some sort of 'leveling' recommendations, cannot but raise a number of questions, especially in light of the fact that normal diplomatic practices do not impose any limitations on the number of staff at diplomatic missions," Grushko said in a written commentary to Russian reporters.

The Russian diplomat questioned whether NATO member states would cut down their presence in Moscow in return to the military alliance's request.

According to the website of the Russian Mission to NATO, its current staff numbers 37 military and civilian personnel, including Grushko himself. Most notably, the post of a senior military representative appears vacant.

The alliance's official who confirmed the reduction request earlier in the day said each mission is free to choose which staff member to let go of and that "NATO will not select staff to leave or remain."

Relations between the alliance and Moscow have suffered considerably when Crimeans voted in a referendum to secede from Ukraine and reunify with Russia in March 2014. The following month, NATO suspended its cooperation with Russia behind accusations of its involvement in Ukraine's internal affairs.

Moscow, in turn, has noted NATO's growing military presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states along Russia's doorstep, stressing its incursion further aggravates existing tensions and undermines regional security.