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In an interview with the RIA news agency, Russian foreign ministry
official Pyotr Ilyichev said the United States had failed to comply
with the 1947 U.N. Headquarters Agreement, which prohibits most
restrictions on diplomats' access to the United Nations.
"The U.S. is raising increasing doubts about the validity of its
right to retain its status as host state for the U.N Headquarters,"
Ilyichev said.
"This is about the unjustified non-issuance of visas to delegates to
participate in U.N. events and restrictions on the movements of
foreign diplomats," he said.
Ilyichev also accused Washington of illegally "raiding" diplomatic
property, in violation of international law, without providing any
details.
Russia has complained before that its diplomats have not received
visas to attend U.N. events, including last September when it said
only half the visas it had requested were approved.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said at the time that it took
its obligations as a U.N. host country seriously and that visa
records were confidential under U.S. law.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, relations between the
two countries have dropped to historic lows, with Moscow dismissing
the idea of rapprochement in the foreseeable future.
While there have been occasional diplomatic successes, including
prisoner swaps involving U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed and
basketball star Brittney Griner, high-level contact has been scarce.
(Reporting by Caleb Davis; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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