US Denies Russian Diplomats' Visas Ahead of UN Meeting

Russia has accused the United States of breaching its international obligations by failing to issue visas to 10 members of the Russian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, including Chairman of the Federation Council’s Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev, Tass reports.

"The United States breached its obligations to the international community and did not issue in due time visas to a number of members of the official delegation, including myself, and the group of accompanying officials who were due to depart for New York today to attend the 74th session of the UN General Assembly," Kosachev said.  

"This is an outrageous act, for which there is no explanation or justification," he added.

This week, the members of Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, were expected to take part in the annual session of the UN General Assembly due on September 24-30.

Washington has said Russian officials failed to provide the necessary documentation needed for issuing visas in a timely manner.

Relations between Russia and the United States have been greatly deteriorated in recent years due to the crisis in Ukraine, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, differences regarding Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War, and from the end of 2016 over Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections. Mutual sanctions imposed in 2014 remain in place.

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By Ana Dumbadze