The State Department announced the issuance of about 100 visas to Russians in connection with Lavrov’s visit to the UN
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The US Department of State, in connection with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in meetings of the UN Security Council, issued about 100 visas to Russian citizens, including journalists.
“In connection with the visit of Foreign Minister Lavrov to the UN, within the framework of Russia’s chairmanship in [Совбезе] UN – The United States has issued about 100 visas to Russian citizens, including a number of journalists, ”said Vedant Patel, deputy head of the press service of the US State Department (quote according to TASS).
Patel stressed that the United States “takes seriously its obligations as a country” on the territory of which the UN headquarters is located.
Formerly US authorities explained refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists, calling it support for the freedom and independence of the press. According to White House strategic communications coordinator John Kirby, “Russian state media are propaganda outlets.”
On April 24, Lavrov arrived in New York to take part as chairman in the meetings of the UN Security Council, which are taking place on April 25 and 26. The minister’s trip was complicated by the US delay in issuing visas to the Russian delegation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation reported that the documents had been received only on April 17. At the same time, visas were never issued to journalists from the Lavrov pool.
On April 19, the Foreign Ministry announced that the United States is obliged to issue visas to Russian journalists to cover the minister’s participation in the UN Security Council, stressing that they are also part of the Russian delegation. According to Zakharova, the Russian journalists who arrived at the airport did not receive American visas.
In this regard, Lavrov named US behavior is ugly and accused Washington of cowardice. The Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN called on the organization to respond to US actions.
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