WASHINGTON, Aug 2: The United States has expelled two Kyrgyz diplomats in retaliation for the ‘unwarranted’ expulsion last month from the central Asian nation of two American envoys, the State Department said on Wednesday.

A department spokewoman said the two staff from the Kyrgyzstan embassy were declared persona non grata on Tuesday. “The action was a direct result of the Kyrgyz government’s unfortunate decision to expel our two diplomats last month,” said the spokeswoman, Janelle Hironimus.

“As we have stated before, the allegation that our diplomats were engaged in inappropriate activities are simply untrue, and the Kyrgyz government’s unprovoked expulsion of them was unwarranted,” she said.

At the time of the July 11 expulsions, the US embassy in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek said the two diplomats were singled out for having contacts with non-governmental organizations in the country.

The incident did not prevent the two governments from agreeing three days later to extend a controversial US lease on an air force base in the strategically placed Central Asian country.

Hironimous stressed following this week’s retaliatory measure that Washington remained “committed to maintaining a constructive and forward-looking relationship with Kyrgyzstan.”—AFP