UK, US welcome Georgia’s decision to expel Russian diplomat over Skripal poisoning
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British Ambassador to Georgia Justin McKenzie Smith has welcomed Georgia’s decision to expel a Russian diplomat from the country in a show of solidarity with the United Kingdom over the recent poisoning of former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal.
Our partners are standing next to us and Russia should realise that its violation of international law will not remain unpunished”, Ambassador McKenzie said.
Expressing his sincere gratitude to Georgia for its solidarity, McKenzie released a tweet in Georgian yesterday.
áá£áá¬á á¤ááá ááááááá á¡áá¥áá áááááá¡ á¡áááááá áááá¡áááá¡. á©áááá ááá á¢áááá ááá á©áááá¡ áááá ááá áááááá áá á á£á¡ááá á£ááá ááá®áááá¡, á áá ááá¡ áááá á¡ááá ááá¨áá áá¡á á¡áááá áááá¡ ááá ááááá¡ ááá á¦áááá ááá£á¡á¯ááá áá ááá á©ááá. https://t.co/TdfxD9lRpv
— Justin McKenzieSmith (@JustinMcKenzieS) March 29, 2018
Georgia and Russia have not had direct diplomatic ties since the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. Switzerland mediates diplomatic issues between the two countries.
Condemning the use of chemical weapons on the territory of the UK that caused grave human suffering to three individuals and posed serious threat to the life and health of others, Georgia has expelled one of 10 Russian diplomats serving at the Interests Section at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tbilisi.
The United States was the first country to expel 60 Russian diplomats from the country in response to an attack on the British citizen and his daughter.
See a map of expulsions of Russian diplomats. Source: Guardian graphic
US Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert welcomed Georgia’s decision at a briefing yesterday.
Georgia is the latest country that has joined us in this effort… which is significant given that Georgia is in the backyard of Russia”, Nauert said.
Below you can watch the video of the briefing.
With its regrettable, unwarranted decision today, it is clear that #Russia is not interested in dialogue about issues that matter to our two countries. #Russia is further isolating itself following the brazen chemical attack in the United Kingdom. - @statedeptspoxpic.twitter.com/w4eA0I7Yvr
— Department of State (@StateDept) March 29, 2018
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found poisoned in the town of Salisbury on March 4.
British officials believe the use of a nerve agent in Salisbury follows a well-established pattern of Russian state aggression. However, Russia denies the allegations.