Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2017 shows the Russia's Consulate General in San Francisco. The United States has ordered Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco, the U.S. State Department said Thursday, in response to Moscow's demand that the size of U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia be reduced. Russia's Consulate General in San Francisco issued a statement Thursday to denounce the U.S. State Department order earlier in the day to close it down. (Xinhua/Xu Yong)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States has ordered Russia to close its consulate in San Francisco, the U.S. State Department said Thursday, in response to Russia's demand that the size of U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow be reduced.
The U.S. has also ordered Russia to shutter a chancery annex in Washington D.C. and a consular annex in New York, the State Department announced, adding that the move is "in the spirit of parity invoked by the Russians."
"The United States has fully implemented the decision by the Government of the Russian Federation to reduce the size of our mission in Russia," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said. "We believe this action was unwarranted and detrimental to the overall relationship between our countries."
