Diplomatic property: Russia says ready to retaliate

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Jul 18, 2017 11:12 AM

     Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Moscow reserved the right to take retaliatory measures against the U.S. after a meeting in Washington ended without a deal on returning seized Russian diplomatic property.

Barack Obama, former U.S. president, ordered the seizure of two Russian diplomatic compounds and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats in December over what he said was their involvement in hacking the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign.

Russia flatly denied involvement in hacking the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign.

     Moscow has said a lot would depend on the outcome of a meeting in Washington on Monday between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon who discussed the diplomatic row.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday a resolution to the problem had not yet been found.

“The Russian side stressed (in the meeting) that if Washington does not remove this and other irritants, including continued obstacles to the work of our diplomatic institutions, we reserve the right to take retaliatory measures based on the principle of reciprocity,” the ministry said.

Russia wanted to resume regular dialogue with the U.S. about strategic stability too, it said, saying it was up to Washington to make a move on the issue.