MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, the United States decided to strip the consuls of credentials on Friday in response to what he called "continued Russian interference with our diplomatic and consular operations in Russia."
The United States decided to close the Russian honorary consulates in California, Utah, Minnesota, Florida and Puerto Rico and withdraw the accreditation of five respective consuls. Only the Russian honorary consulate in the US state of Colorado maintains its status.
The activities of formal Russian diplomatic missions in the United States have not been affected, the US Embassy in Russia said.
Russian Response
Moscow is considering a response to the decision by the United States to close five out of six honorary consulates of the Russian Federation in the United States, Russian Embassy spokesman Yuri Melnik told Sputnik on Friday.
"We are now looking at what can be done further in terms of the practical response," Melnik said, giving no further details.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the US decision was "inadequate," accusing the American intelligence services of provocations against the staff of Russian diplomatic missions.
"We are indignant about Washington's decision to withdraw the accreditation of five out of six honorary consuls of the Russian Federation in the United States: in California, Utah, Minnesota, Florida and the territory of Puerto Rico. Moreover, they’re even being threatened with prosecution," Zakharova said.
US Accusations
US State Department spokesman Mar Toner said that the United States is "prepared to take further appropriate measures if there are additional efforts to impede our diplomatic and consular activities in Russia."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the US course of action is in line with Washington’s plan to continue "its course of curtailing relations with our country."
"US authorities have once again demonstrated their true attitude towards the issue of developing contacts between people [in the US and Russia], which is precisely the thing the honorary consuls were doing," Zakharova said.
Ukraine Issue Involved
According to Zakharova, the United States is trying to deflect Washington’s responsibility for the power coup in Ukraine and the subsequent civil war in the country’s southeast by leading a global anti-Russia campaign.
"It’s well known that the it is US who unleashed a sanctions war against Russian and is leading a large-scale Russophobic propaganda campaign all over the world, trying to deflect responsibility for the support of the armed coup in the Ukraine and the bloody war in Donbas [Ukraine’s southeast]," Zakharova said.
The Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman expressed hope that "common sense will prevail" and that Russia’s honorary consuls would be reinstated. She also thanked the American citizens who performed the functions of Russia’s honorary consuls for their contribution to the development of cooperation between Russia and the United States.
Honorary consuls can be both citizens of the sending country, or locals. They perform consular services, usually without pay, in cities too insignificant for professional consulates. Honorary consuls enjoy the privileges of career diplomats and are tasked with strengthening ties between the two countries.
