DIMITROV: EXPELLED DIPLOMAT STEPS OUT OF MANDATE.
We took the decision to expel a Russian diplomat from Macedonia following careful consideration and analysis. Our decision is based on two arguments, one is international, namely the poisoning with a chemical weapon in Great Britain and the solidarity that our allies sought, said Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov at the press conference he held together with his Austrian counterpart Karin Kneissl in Skopje Tuesday.He said there was also a domestic argument behind the Foreign Ministry's move. In Dimitrov's words, the Russian diplomat stepped out of his diplomatic mandate.
"He attempted to obtain classified information important for Macedonia's security. However, we are obliged to protect the diplomat's identity and it will be wrong to speculate. Our information is backed by firm evidence and we have no dilemmas about it," Dimitrov said.
He also said that between friends there were also misunderstandings and that when they were overcome the friendship would be stronger.
Austrian Minister Kneissl said that Austria expressed solidarity with Great Britain but expelling diplomats was a bilateral issue in need of close evaluation.
"In difficult times it is particularly important to leave open the channels of communication. Austria is politically neutral, pursuing a policy that builds bridges. This is the tradition of the Austrian diplomacy," Kneissl said in response to a question of why Austria had not expelled any Russian diplomats.
Televizija 24 has learned from senior Macedonian police sources that the Russian diplomat to be expelled was involved in activities of the Russian intelligence which sought to infiltrate Russian agents in the high echelons of the executive branch. There is no information whether the operation was successful.
At the same time social media are inundated with criticisms of the move. "Why would you expel a diplomat of a country that recognizes you by your constitutional name to please another country to which such recognition is not an option? Where have you studied diplomacy, you poor souls? Servility is not international relations?" Dimitar Apasiev of Levica said in a Facebook post.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday it was going to expel one diplomat of the Russian Federation over the Skripal case.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to announce that in close consultation with our EU and NATO allies and partners and in solidarity with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland it decided to expel one diplomat of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Macedonia over the Scripal case, pursuant to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.
"The use of military-grade chemical weapons is in violation of the International Law and this affects the security of all countries," the Foreign Ministry said.
The Russian Embassy said on Twitter Monday that this was an exceptionally hostile and fully unjustified step that had no precedent in Russian-Macedonian relations and the responsibility for its consequences lied entirely with the Macedonian side.
British Ambassador Charles Garrett, on the other hand, tweeted that Macedonian's response was part of an exceptional, united action from the international community to the Russian nerve agent attack on British sol. "A powerful show of solidarity," he said.
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| Title Annotation: | MIC NEWS |
|---|---|
| Publication: | INFOMAC Daily News Service |
| Geographic Code: | 4EXMA |
| Date: | Mar 27, 2018 |
| Words: | 522 |
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