Flags of Russia from the Consulate General in San Francisco removed the State Department

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Flags of Russia at its general consulate in San Francisco, California took off representatives of the American authorities. This was confirmed on Wednesday to the correspondent. TASS State Department employee.

As he assured, this procedure was carried out while demonstrating due respect for the state symbols of Russia. Now the removed flags have been placed in storage at the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco, a US foreign policy official said. “The flags on the former Russian consular property in San Francisco have been flown at half-staff in a show of due respect and are safely stored in each building,” the US diplomat said. He meant the Consulate General and the Consul General's residence in San Francisco.

“As we said [previously], the US State Department [now] secures this property and maintains it in accordance with its obligations,” the diplomat added.

USA 3 September closed Russia's trade mission in Washington and its branch in New York, and also demanded that the activities of the consulate general in San Francisco be curtailed and the residence of the consul general in that city be vacated. The American authorities gave Moscow time before October 1 so that the staff of the consulate general in San Francisco could collect things. The US administration believes that diplomatic immunity has been removed from these sites. Nevertheless, they are still the property of Russia, with the exception of the branch of the trade mission in New York, which was leased.

As the Russian embassy in the United States reported earlier, it demanded that the flags be immediately returned to their place.

The tacit confrontation between Russia and the United States began in December last year, when the administration of US President Barack Obama imposed sanctions against 9 Russian institutions, companies and individuals, including against the GRU and the FSB, for “interfering in elections and putting pressure on American diplomats” working in Russia.

Also USA closed access to two residential complexes - the so-called suburban "dachas" of the Russian Permanent Mission in New York and the embassies in Washington, which are Russian diplomatic property. In addition, non grata persons were are announced 35 Russian diplomats. They were expelled from the country on the eve of New Year's Eve.

Given the change of power in the United States, Russia was in no hurry to respond. However, in early August of this year, Moscow decided to cut The number of American diplomats accredited in Russia per 755 is from about 1,2 thousands of people currently working in Russia.

In addition, Russia has not forgotten about diplomatic dachas and reported that “the Russian side suspends since 1 in August, the US Embassy in Russia will use all storage facilities on Dorozhnaya Street in Moscow and summer cottages in Serebryanny Bor. ”

In response to such measures 23 August Washington decided to pause issuing non-immigrant visas throughout Russia. The issuance of documents was resumed from September 1, but in a reduced volume and only in Moscow. Therefore, the embassy staff recommended that Russians apply for permission to enter the United States at the consulates of other states.

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