Zakharova Blames US Of Non-Compliance With Its Obligations As Host Country Of UN Headquarters

The United States is abusing its status as the host country of the UN headquarters and violating its international obligations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.

"The United States regularly denies and delays visas or fails to extend visas in due time exclusively on grounds of nationality. measures of discrimination, such as limitations on the movement of diplomats and personnel of the UN Secretariat, not only from Russia but from other countries as well,"she added.

Also, Zakharova recalled that five years ago, the US State Department blocked access to the official premises of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN.

"The premises were bought in 1953 and are the property of the Russian Federation. in the period since 1953, we faithfully complied with all our obligations as the premises’ owner and there have not been any complaints or objections. the host country recognised the diplomatic status of these premises. but now the Russian property in the State of New York, which has been used to represent Russian interests at the UN, has for all intents and purposes been seized by the Americans,"she noted.

The Russian diplomat called on Antonio Guterres, as guarantor of the 1947 Agreement, to take immediate practical steps to officially launch the arbitration procedure against the United States.