Moscow may demand further reduction of US diplomatic staff after seizure of California property

Moscow is considering various options as response to the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in California by the US and does not rule out that it will demand real parity in the number of US and Russian diplomats. The parity could entail a US diplomatic mission staff cut to 300 people or fewer, RIA Novosti reports, citing Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North America Department Georgy Borisenko. “In diplomacy, there is an inviolable principle of reciprocity, and Americans know this very well,” he said. Moscow has not abandoned its intention to file a lawsuit with a US court over the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco, Borisenko said. “But this is a slow process… When everything is ready, it will be filed,” he said.