The Estonian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it had informed Russian Ambassador to the country Vladimir Lipayev of its decision to require that Russia reduce the number of staff in its embassy in Tallinn starting February 1
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th January, 2023) The Estonian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it had informed Russian Ambassador to the country Vladimir Lipayev of its decision to require that Russia reduce the number of staff in its embassy in Tallinn starting February 1.
"As a result of this decision, the number of the staff of the Russian embassy must be reduced to 8 diplomatic positions and 15 posted administrative, technical and service staff members," a statement read.
The decision's purpose is to "reach parity in embassy staff" so as to make the number of positions in the Russian and Estonian embassies in each other's country equal, the Estonian foreign ministry added.
"Estonia considers the principle of parity very important in our relations with Russia. In light of the fact that during the war of aggression, the staff of the Russian embassy is not engaged in advancing Estonian-Russian relations, it is our view that there are no grounds for the current size of the Russian embassy," Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said in the statement.
Reinsalu also stated that Estonia had reduced its relations with Russia to "the absolute minimum" in response to Russia's military operation in Ukraine by closing the Russian consulates in Narva and Tartu and expelling three Russian diplomats last year.
