Belarus cuts Washington off over U.S. sanctions against against oil company

MINSK, Belarus – The Belarusian Foreign Ministry told the U.S. ambassador on Friday to leave the country and recalled its own ambassador from the U.S. over economic sanctions Washington imposed on the former Soviet nation last year.

State Department spokes-man Tom Casey told reporters that U.S. Ambassador Karen Stewart has not been formally expelled.


“The Belarusian government has suggested – I think that’s the polite phrase – that she return to the United States for consultations,” he said, adding that Stewart will remain in Minsk while the U.S. reviews the situation.

“If the Belarusian government wishes to shoot itself in the foot, they’re welcome to do so,” Casey said.

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry said its demand that the U.S. ambassador leave the country had been prompted by U.S. sanctions imposed last fall against Belarus’ state-controlled oil-processing and chemicals company, Belneftekhim.

AP