According to Russian diplomats, they “have never heard of the British Embassy in Moscow having problems with extending visas for their staff,” similar to those faced by the Russian Embassy in London.
The Russian embassy stressed that the United Kingdom was in breach of bilateral agreements between the two states.
“The fact is that the bilateral memorandum in force between the two countries on visa issues of 1989 provides for visas for staff members of diplomatic missions to be issued within thirty days. It is not observed by the British side, the average waiting time reaching 5 and a half months,” the statement by the embassy read Thursday.
The embassy called the measures taken by London “discriminatory” and wondered “what they are seeking.”
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in London stated that the British side would not extend diplomatic and official visas for Russian embassy staff in London and Russian Consulate staff in Edinburgh once they had completed a five year period.
Russia's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Alexander Yakovenko said that the United Kingdom "squeezes Russian diplomats out by visa chicanery," in contradiction of international obligations.
