Dutch expel Russian diplomats, shut commerce mission

THE HAGUE: The Dutch international ministry on Saturday introduced the expulsion of a number of Russian diplomats and the closure of Russia’s commerce mission in Amsterdam, accusing Moscow of utilizing it for spying.

It was the newest growth in a dispute over Russia’s failure to grant visas to Dutch diplomats to employees their embassy in Moscow and the consulate in Saint Petersburg.

Due to the shortage of employees, the consulate will shut on Monday, although the embassy will keep open, the assertion added.

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“Regardless of quite a few makes an attempt by the Netherlands to discover a resolution, Russia continues to attempt to get intelligence officers within the Netherlands below diplomatic cowl,” Overseas Minister Wopke Hoekstra stated within the assertion.

“We can’t and won’t permit that.”

On the similar time, it was essential to maintain embassies open as a communications channel even with relations with Russia so strained, he added.

The Russian diplomats being informed to go away have two weeks to go away the nation, whereas Russia’s commerce mission in Amsterdam needed to be closed from Tuesday, the assertion stated.