Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 1 September 2017

In tit for tat, U.S. tells Russia to close post in San Fran

By JOSH LEDERMAN U.S. gave Russia a mere 48 said a senior Trump admin-
Associated Press hours to close its San Fran- istration official. The official
WASHINGTON (AP) — In an cisco consulate, along briefed reporters on a con-
escalating tit-for-tat, the with smaller Russian posts in ference call on condition
United States forced Russia Washington and New York. of anonymity.
on Thursday to shutter its “The United States is pre- The U.S. isn’t expelling any
consulate in San Francisco pared to take further ac- Russian officials, so those
and scale back its diplo- tion as necessary and as who work at the shuttered
matic presence in Wash- warranted,” said State De- offices can be reassigned
ington and New York, as partment spokeswoman elsewhere in the U.S., the
relations between the two Heather Nauert. Still, she official said. One of the
former Cold War foes con- said the U.S. hoped both buildings is believed to
tinued to unravel. countries could now move be leased, but Russia will
The Trump administration toward “improved rela- maintain ownership over
This Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017 photo shows the Consulate-General said the move constituted tions” and “increased co- the others, the official said,
of Russia in San Francisco. The United States is retaliating against its response to the Krem- operation.” Russia said it adding that it would be up
Russia by forcing closure of its consulate in San Francisco and
scaling back its diplomatic presence in Washington and New lin’s “unwarranted and regretted the order and to Moscow to determine
York. The State Department says move is in response to the detrimental” decision to pointed the finger at the whether to sell them or oth-
Kremlin forcing a cut in U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow. force the U.S. to cut its dip- U.S. for starting the “escala- erwise dispose of them.
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg) lomatic staff in Russia. The tion of tensions” between The forced closures were
the nuclear-armed powers. the latest in an intensifying
It wasn’t immediately clear exchange of diplomatic
whether the Kremlin would broadsides with origins in
return the volley by retaliat- Washington’s opposition to
ing for the U.S. retaliation. Russia’s actions in Ukraine
The Russian Foreign Ministry and its interference in the
said Moscow was studying 2016 presidential election.
the decision to determine In December, former
its response. President Barack Obama
U.S. ties to Russia have kicked out dozens of Rus-
soured in recent years over sian officials in the U.S., shut-
deep disagreements about tered Russian recreational
Ukraine, Syria and Russian compounds in New York
hacking. To the surprise of and Maryland, and sanc-
those who anticipated that tioned Russian individuals
President Donald Trump’s and entities. Russian Presi-
election would reverse that dent Vladimir Putin held off
trend, the feud has only on any retaliation, and the
worsened this year, even next month, Trump took of-
as investigators continue fice, having campaigned
probing whether Trump’s on hopes of improving U.S.-
campaign colluded with Russia ties.
Moscow’s efforts to help But earlier this month,
him get elected. Trump begrudgingly signed
In addition to its consul- into law stepped-up sanc-
ate, the Russians by Satur- tions on Russia that Con-
day must close an official gress passed in an attempt
residence in San Francisco. to prevent Trump from eas-
Though Russia can keep its ing up on Moscow. The
New York consulate and Kremlin quickly retaliated,
Washington embassy, Rus- announcing the U.S. must
sian trade missions housed cut its own embassy and
in satellite offices in those consulate staff down to
two cities must shut down, 455.q