UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2020) The United States has denied the request by the Russian Mission to the United Nations in March to return the diplomatic property in order to allow diplomats social distance during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in New York, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gennady Kuzmin said in a statement on Friday.
"When the Governor of the State of New York declared state of emergency due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, we requested the return of the mentioned property for the use by the personnel of the mission to diminish the risk associated with the spread of the coronavirus. The Note Verbale has been addressed to the United States Mission to that effect," Kuzmin said at a UN meeting of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country, the United States. "The United States did not respond to the Note Verbale of the Russian Mission, letting our Embassy in Washington know that we are not to expected a positive reaction."
Kuzmin added that in regards to the issue, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking him to interfere and facilitate the return of the diplomatic property in Upper Brookville, New York, seized by Washington almost four years ago.
