Russia to expel Norwegian diplomat in tit-for-tat retaliation

Russia is to expel a Norwegian diplomat in a tit-for-tat retaliation, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement Friday, reported Xinhua.

Norwegian Ambassador Rune Resaland was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with the unfriendly action of the Norwegian authorities, which declared on Aug. 18 a Russian diplomat persona non grata, it said in a statement.

Resaland was informed that, in response, one of the senior diplomats of the Norwegian Embassy had also been declared persona non grata, the statement said.

His accreditation in Russia will be terminated within three days, the same period that the Norwegians allotted for the departure of the Russian diplomat, it said.

"The Russian side stressed that the destructive line pursued by the Norwegian authorities inevitably negatively affects the atmosphere of bilateral relations. Responsibility for the consequences of such a policy rests entirely with Oslo," the ministry said.