国际英语新闻：Romania expels Russian diplomat

BUCHAREST, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Romania's Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday evening the expulsion of a Russian diplomat in Bucharest.

According to a press release of the ministry, the Romanian authorities on Tuesday informed the Russian side of the decision to declare persona non-grata a diplomat working with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Bucharest, having a diplomatic rank equivalent to that of Romanian diplomat Gabriel Grecu, who was accused of spying in Moscow by the Russian Federal Security Service.

In a previous release also issued on Tuesday, the Romanian Foreign Ministry condemned "the grave violation" by the Russian authorities of the provisions of the Vienna Convention by detaining on Monday the Romanian diplomat accredited to Moscow, as well as the completely inadequate treatment extended to him.

Romania's official stance was made known on Monday evening to the first collaborator of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, said the release, adding that the Romanian Embassy in Moscow also conveyed the message to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Romanian side also voiced firm disagreement over the way the Russian side made public this issue, said the release.

Grecu, first secretary of the Romanian embassy's political department, was declared persona non-grata on Monday and asked to leave Russia within 48 hours.

The Russian security service said Grecu was a professional intelligence officer working for the Romanian External Information Service.

Local analysts noted the incident happened a year after Romania expelled two Ukrainian diplomats accused of spying for Moscow.

Relations between Romania and Russia have turned tense since Bucharest decided to participate in the development of a U.S. missile defense system in Europe and host components of the system on its territory.