Number of US diplomats in Belarus can grow threefold

Belarus and the United States are working on the restoration of diplomatic staff in embassies in Minsk and the United States. Before 2008, 32 diplomats were working at the embassies of both countries.

Belarus Ambassador to Russia Uladzimir Syamashka said that Minsk intends to develop relations with various partners in the international arena, since it is interested in promoting domestic products to foreign markets, as well as in attracting foreign investment and technology.

In a conversation with TASS, the diplomat said that Belarus and the United States are now working to restore the level of diplomatic presence in both countries and “move further along the path of building normal relations.”

“A fairly serious level of representation of diplomats, by the way, is maintained in Moscow and Washington, despite all the known vicissitudes in Russian-American relations,” Syamashka added.

Uladzimir Syamashka. Photo – Artur Lebyadzeu/TASS

On January 10, Belarusian Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei informed Washington about Minsk’s decision to lift the limit on the number of American diplomats working in Minsk.

After the US imposed sanctions on Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka accused the US embassy of subversive activities. Minsk recalled the ambassador from Washington and limited the number of American diplomats in the Belarusian capital to five. Before that there were 32 of them.

Since 2008, the American Embassy in Minsk has been operating in a reduced mode, without an ambassador. First, a limit was set to five diplomats, but gradually it was expanded to ten.

For over a decade, the embassies of both countries have been headed by temporary attorneys.

According to some Russian media outlets, the ex-ambassador of our country to France Pavel Latushka may be appointed as the new ambassador of Belarus to the USA. In turn, there were rumors that Latushka could head the Kupala Theater.

belsat.eu; Preview photo – Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

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