The State Department continues to bend its line and still refuses to representatives of the Russian Federation in visiting diplomatic facilities. Buildings in San Francisco and Washington, Americans, it seems, finally appropriated themselves. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States Anatoly Antonov told about problems with visiting closed institutions. "All that we receive from the State Department is unreasonable refusals (in visiting our diplomatic capacity)," the diplomat said during a speech at the reception of the non-governmental organization World Affairs Council in San Francisco.

"Expulsion of Russian diplomats, seizure of objects of diplomatic property with subsequent search and removal of state flags of the Russian Federation, infringement of the rights of Russian media - all these unfriendly steps are destroying the foundation of Russian-American cooperation," the ambassador of the RIA Novosti quotes..

The diplomat is confident that the US and Russia should resume cooperation through special services, defense ministries and parliaments. Moreover, the two countries have common ground - for example, the proximity of positions on the North Korean problem. Lack of contacts leads to an increase in mutual distrust, "especially on the" background of public rhetoric in American political circles, "he stressed..

Antonov flew to the west coast of the United States the day before. As part of his trip, which will last until December 3, the diplomat planned to hold meetings with experts and business circles and examine the Russian diplomatic community in San Francisco. However, the plans had to be corrected.

A few weeks ago, the Russian ambassador stated that Moscow was conducting "careful and delicate" work to prepare a lawsuit against the US government regarding the blocking of access to Russian diplomatic property in the country. He noted that the work of lawyers "will take a lot of time".

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview with the Italian newspaper Libero, said that Washington is tackling the tasks of its anti-Russian policy at the expense of the countries of the European Union. "Sanctions boomerang struck by national European producers. They have lost some of their positions in the Russian market and continue to incur significant losses, "said the head of the agency, noting that the States themselves have lost little from the imposition of sanctions, since the trade turnover between Moscow and Washington is relatively small.

Lavrov also stressed that Russia is open to constructive work with the US on all issues, but will respond to unfriendly steps in accordance with the principle of reciprocity. In early September, the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco, as well as the trade mission in Washington and the premises of the New York Trade Mission were transferred to the US side at the request of the State Department. The US authorities explained their decision by the fact that this is the response to the Russian proposal to reduce the number of employees of the US diplomatic mission in Russia. The access to the building of the consulate general for Russian diplomats is virtually closed.