WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States is ordering Belarus to close its embassy in Washington and consulate in New York and will shut down the U.S. Embassy in Belarus in a sharp escalation of diplomatic tension between the two countries, AP reported Thursday.

    Belarus has been given until May 16 to withdraw its six diplomats at the two diplomatic missions and that the U.S. embassy in Minsk will cease operations as early as Friday, the report said, citing unidentified U.S. officials.

    The U.S. move, regarded as a step short of severing diplomatic relations, is in response to the Belarus move Wednesday to expel 10 U.S. diplomats from the U.S. embassy in the Belarussian capital of Minsk.

U.S. says it is considering diplomatic response to Belarus

    WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States said Thursday that it is considering a full range of options in response to the Belarus move to expel its diplomats but insisted that it has not made any formal decisions.

    "There certainly are a number of steps, and we have told them that we are considering the full range of options in terms of our respective diplomatic presences," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said at the daily briefing. Full story

10 U.S. diplomats to leave Belarus, says U.S. charge d'affaires

    MOSCOW, April 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. charge d'affaires in Belarus Jonathan Moore said Wednesday that 10 U.S. diplomats will leave the former Soviet republic within 72 hours under the requests of Belarus' authorities, news agencies reported.

    "We will do everything possible so that the U.S. diplomats leave the country within the required time limit," Moore was quoted as telling a news conference after being summoned to the Belorussian foreign ministry. Full story