Greece files demarche with Russian ambassador

ATHENS

Greece filed a demarche Friday with the Russian ambassador in Athens for the expulsion of eight Greek diplomats in June.

The Greek Foreign Ministry said the demarche was made by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian action “was disproportionate” to measures Greece took against Russian diplomats.

“The Russian diplomats had been declared as personae non grata for demonstrably engaging in actions inconsistent with their diplomatic status, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963,” it said. The expulsions of the Greek diplomats “had no justification whatsoever, other than being disproportionate reprisals.”

It said the Greek diplomats had not violated the Vienna Conventions.

The Foreign Ministry protested the content of recent statements by Russian officials and emphasized the importance of avoiding generalizations and accusations against Greece that cannot be verified.

Russia expelled eight Greek diplomats last month for the "confrontation of Greek authorities towards Russia,” part of which are arms deliveries to Ukraine and the expulsion of Russian diplomats from Greece.