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YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Austria has refused to expel Russian diplomats because it maintains good relations with Russia, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told Plus 4 TV.
“A third of EU countries did not expel Russian diplomats, and we are among them. I decided not to do it with the minister of foreign affairs, because we maintain traditionally good relations with Russia, we are a neutral country and host the HQs of numerous international organizations such as the UN or OSCE”, he said.
On 4 March 2018,Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter Yulia, visiting him from Moscow, were poisoned with an alleged Russia-made nerve agentinSalisbury, England.As of 13March2018,they remain critically ill atSalisbury District Hospital.The poisoning is being investigated by British authorities asattempted murder.
The United Kingdom believes it is "highly likely" that the Russian government was behind the attack. Russia denies any involvement.
The incident sparked an international diplomatic crisis when many Western countries began expelling Russian diplomats from their countries. Most recently, Russia responded by expelling 60 US diplomats.
English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan