WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and Russia have made progress toward resolving a stand-off over staffing at their respective embassies, leading to Washington ending a coverage that allowed members of the family of embassy employees in Moscow to go away Russia, a State Department spokesperson mentioned on Friday.
The progress, first reported by the Washington Post, got here throughout a gathering with Russian officers in Vienna by a U.S. delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs Christopher Robinson.
The coverage often called licensed departure had been applied by the U.S. embassy in Moscow in August to permit members of the family to go away the nation voluntary, amid a diplomatic row between the 2 nations over how lengthy diplomats can stay at their bilateral missions.
Following the Vienna assembly, licensed departure has been ended, a State Department spokesperson mentioned in an e-mail on Friday. “These are ongoing points, which we proceed to have interaction on. We have made progress in latest days on bilateral points and hope to proceed to maneuver in that course.”
The tussle over diplomats comes as tensions are heightened over what Washington and its allies say are provocative troop actions by Russia close to its border with Ukraine.
Russia mentioned on Wednesday it was ordering U.S. Embassy employees who’ve been in Moscow for greater than three years to fly dwelling by Jan. 31, a retaliatory transfer for a U.S. determination to restrict the phrases of Russian diplomats.
The step got here after Russia’s ambassador to the United States mentioned final week that 27 Russian diplomats and their households had been being expelled from the United States and would depart on Jan. 30. Washington mentioned the diplomats weren’t expelled however had been within the nation for longer than a brand new three-year restrict.
“We must have open channels of communication significantly throughout instances of heightened pressure. A functioning Embassy is important to diplomacy and why we proceed the laborious work of addressing this concern,” the State Department spokesperson added.
(Reporting by Simon Lewis)
