U.S. independently moves inviolable archives of Russian Consulate General in San Francisco to Washington - Embassy
WASHINGTON. Oct 24 (Interfax) - U.S. authorities have moved the inviolable archives of the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco at their own initiative and delivered them to the Russian Embassy in Washington on October 23 despite Russia's multiple protests, the Embassy said in a statement.
"The American authorities did not provide us with access to the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco, closed by their decision since September 2, in order to remove its archives. Instead, they packed the archives on their own and moved them to Washington. It was done despite numerous protests from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from the Embassy. On October 23 the archives were delivered to the Embassy," the Embassy said.
"The consulate archives and documents are inviolable at all times and wherever they may be," the Embassy said.
"With such actions the American side has once again grossly violated the corresponding articles of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the bilateral consular convention," it said.
"Such a neglectful attitude coming from official Washington towards international law, our diplomatic and consular missions and properties has paved the way for similar actions towards the U.S. missions in Russia," it said.
"On the principle of reciprocity, a corner stone of diplomatic relations," the Embassy added.