California Governor Comments on Moscow's Idea to Sue US Over Consulate Closure

The governor of the US state of California commented on Moscow's decision to sue Washington over the closure of the Russian consulate in San Francisco, as well as the seizure of other Russian diplomatic property in the US.

VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) — California Governor Jerry Brown said that Russia's readiness to go to court over the closure of its consulate in the United States could resolve the conflict.

"In our country and particularly in our state, lawsuits are very common as a way to resolve disputes. So that might be one way the matter can be resolved," the governor said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he would instruct the Foreign Ministry to go to court over the situation with Russian diplomatic property in the United States. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed his US counterpart Rex Tillerson of Moscow's intention to bring the issue of Russian diplomatic property seizure to court.

The US State Department said last Thursday that Washington demanded that Moscow close down its consulate general in San Francisco and two other diplomatic entities in New York City and Washington, DC by Saturday. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that US actions constituted a violation of international law, including the Vienna convention on diplomatic and consular relations.

A few days later, the US conducted searches in the buildings of the Russian General Consulate in San Francisco and its trade mission in Washington. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov commented on the move saying that the searches conducted by the United States at the Russian diplomatic properties on US soil were outrageous and constitute aggressive violations of international law.