Russian Foreign Ministry summons Australian ambassador over land rent denial for new embassy building

MOSCOW. June 16 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned Australian Ambassador Graeme Meehan to present him with a protest over the Australian government's decision to sever a contract on renting a plot of land for constructing a new building of the Russian embassy in Canberra.

"Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko summoned Australian Ambassador Graeme Meehan on June 16 to declare a strong protest over the Australian government's decision to sever a rent contract for a plot of land where a new complex of the Russian embassy in Canberra is being built," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Moscow views this decision as "an openly politicized and unfriendly step," the ministry said.

"The Russian side intends to employ all necessary mechanisms to protect its interests, including possible countermeasures," it said.