Andrei Maslov: “Diplomatic relations, of course, will not be severed.”

Russian Ambassador to Greece Andrey Maslov ruled out a break in diplomatic relations between Moscow and Athens after the expulsion of 12 embassy employees:

No, I don’t think it will work. Diplomatic relations, of course, will not be severed.

The diplomat noted that there is no threat of blocking the embassy’s accounts, and expressed regret that the Greek government “has taken a course on complicating the channels of diplomatic communication. No matter how bad foreign policy relations are, relations between states and diplomatic channels should remain inviolable.

Andrey Maslov notes, writes GreekReporter, that 8 out of 12 expelled diplomats are representatives of the highest and senior levels of the Russian Embassy:

Therefore, we cannot but regard the Greek action as malicious actions aimed not only at breaking down bilateral relations, but even at destroying diplomatic channels of communication.

Earlier, our publication reported that, according to a statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry declared “persona non grata” 12 employees of diplomatic and consular missions of the Russian Federation accredited in Greece. Twelve Russian diplomats were declared “undesirable under the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Affairs of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Affairs of 1963”.

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