Russian diplomat squatting on axed embassy web site close to Australia’s parliament
Australia’s prime minister has described a Russian diplomat squatting on land close to the nation’s parliament as “a bloke standing in the cold on a bit of grass in Canberra” who poses “no threat” to safety.
The obvious stand-off comes after Australia final week handed emergency laws blocking Russia from constructing a brand new embassy on the positioning on safety grounds, citing a spying danger.
An unidentified Russian diplomat has been pictured residing in a transportable constructing on the land.
The grounds of the proposed new Russian embassy. Pic: AP
Australian Federal Police have been monitoring the person however have been unable to arrest him as a result of he has diplomatic immunity.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned the contested web site of the proposed Russian embassy was safe.
He advised a news convention: “Australia will stand up for our values and we will stand up for our national security, and a bloke standing in the cold on a bit of grass in Canberra is not a threat to our national security.
“The web site is safe and we’re snug with our place.”
The Russian embassy in Canberra declined to remark.
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Earlier this week, Moscow barred 48 Australians from coming into Russia, in what it mentioned was retaliation for Australia’s personal long-running sanctions regime in opposition to the nation.
The Kremlin final week accused Australia of “Russophobic hysteria” for cancelling the lease, which follows a deterioration in relations because the Ukraine struggle started final yr.
The Russian embassy in Australia has appealed to the supreme court docket to uphold the lease.
Russia says it has spent hundreds of thousands on the positioning because it was granted the lease in 2008.
Completed works embody fencing and a single perimeter constructing that was to be a part of a deliberate complicated of a number of buildings.
However, Mr Albanese mentioned intelligence companies had given “very clear security advice” on the transfer to terminate Russia’s lease for the land.