Cutting in American diplomacy. Trump is considering closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates

The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates, CNN said based on the internal Department of State. The list includes diplomatic missions, including in Malta, in Luxembourg, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and in France.

In the note, which also reached the New York Times newspaper, no date was given when the facilities would be closed. The daily pointed out that this action is an extension of Trump's administration plans, aimed at introducing significant changes in diplomacy abroad. The plans provide for cuts in the Budget of the State Department by almost 50 percent.

They will lose the most embassies in Africa

Most embassies, which are threatened with closing, are in Africa: Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, Republic of Congo and South Sudan. It was also recommended to close the diplomatic missions in Luxembourg, Grenada, Malta and the Maldives.

The plan also assumes the liquidation of consulates, most of which are in Europein popular tourist places among Americans. These are five consulates in France (Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes and Strasbourg), two in Germany (Dusseldorf and Leipzig) and two in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar and Banja Luka).

The closing of consulates in thessaloniki in Greece, Florence in Italy, Pont Delgada in Portugal and Edinburgh in Scotland was also suggested. Apart from Europe, this applies to four consular facilities: in Duala, Cameroon, Medan in Indonesia, Durban in South Africa and Busan in South Korea.

The duties will take over the facilities in other countries

The document suggested that the obligations of closed embassies be taken over by facilities in neighboring countries.

“New York Times” said that the authors of the note also suggest a significant reduction or elimination of the presence of the US embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia and the closing of Baghdadzki Diplomatic Support Center in Iraq, while reducing the costs of diplomatic municipalities in Baghdad and Irbil. They also propose consolidation of facilities to one place in countries with many consulates, including in Japan and Canada.

A spokeswoman for the Tammy Bruce Department did not want to comment on the internal document or plans of drastic cuts in the Department of State. (PAP)

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