Nato to expel 7 russian diplomats over 'ex-spy poisoning'
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Brussels, March 28 (IANS) NATO became the latest entity to dismiss Russian diplomats over Moscow's alleged role in a nerve agent attack against a former double agent in Salisbury, as
the trans-Atlantic organisation announced on Tuesday that seven officials would have their accreditation withdrawn. At a press conference in Brussels, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg
stated that the suspected nerve agent attack that left Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia fighting for their lives was the first of its kind on NATO territory, adding that 25 NATO allies
and partners had expelled a total of 140 Russian diplomats in response, Efe reported. "NATO is unified in taking further steps. I have today withdrawn the accreditation of seven staff
at the Russian mission to NATO. I will also deny then pending accreditation requests for three others," said the Norwegian politician. He said it sent a clear message to Russia that
there were consequences to its reckless behaviour. Moscow has vehemently denied deploying a suspected Novichok chemical against ex-spy Skripal and his daughter, but leaders of Western
nations were united in their criticism of Russia for what they denounced as a flagrant breach of international law. Chemical weapons experts were currently carrying out an analysis of the
agent. (This story was auto-published from a syndicated feed. No part of the story has been edited by THE QUINT.)