TASS: Moscow expressed complete rejection and profound regret over searches at the Russian trade mission in Washington, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday, adding that the Russian-US relations continue to degrade.
“Evidently, we can express profound regret over this violation of international law,” he told journalists. In his words, such actions “undermine international law” and “run counter to the convention on diplomatic relations.”
“It cannot but cause utter rejection and profound regret,” he stressed. “Steps are being made (by the US) that entail further degradation of the Russian-US relations.”
“A month ago, one could think that there were no further worsening in our relations but the US side is demonstrating that is can go further and further on that path,” Peskov noted. “We regret it.”
When asked whether Putin has been informed about what happened in Washington, Peskov answered in a question, “And how do you think?” “When one of the biggest world nations tramples down international law, the president of another biggest world nation is immediately informed about that,” he added.
On August 31, the United States authorities demanded Moscow close its consulate general in San Francisco, trade mission in Washington and its office in New York by September 2.
Earlier, the Russian foreign ministry said in statement that on September 2 the United States authorities had seized the buildings of Russia’s consulate general in San Francisco and trade mission in Washington, which are Russia’s property and enjoy diplomatic immunity. Apart from that, Russian personnel was denied access to the premises the Russian trade mission rents in New York. Moscow described the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in the United States as an openly hostile step and called on the US authorities to return the diplomatic facilities immediately.
