1 April the US embassy in Minsk renewed issuing visas for Byelorussian citizens after a two-week break. And on 2 April the deputy Byelorussian foreign minister Viktor Gaisenok stated that the embassy would have to reduce the number of its employees according to the 6+1 formula. That means only 6 persons, plus the ambassador herself, will be allowed working in the embassy.   

Actually, the US ambassador is not present in Minsk either, at the moment. Karen Stewart left the country on 12 March, which was demanded by Byelorussian foreign ministry after the US imposed sanctions on the concern Belneftehim and said it would be withdrawn only after releasing the political prisoner Alexander Kozulin. So Mrs. Stewart left Minsk and a few days after the remaining employees were advised that half of them would have to come back to Washington, as the Byelorussian side had decided to cut their number by half. So 17 people were to leave and this is why the issuing of visas was suspended on 19 March. “This is a temporary measure. We have to do it as our efforts at the moment are concentrated necessity for our employees to leave the country within the established dates” stated then the chargé d'affaires of the US, Jonathan Moor.    

Well, the embassy staff was on time with their leaving. They left 27 March. 1 April the consular division of the embassy renewed its working. And the next day the deputy minister Gaisenok announced that other 10 diplomats must leave, and Jonathan Moor received a note confirming that the diplomats had to leave due to the sanctions and in relation with repeated refusal by the US to abolish the restrictive economic measures towards the Belneftehim concern, and in relation with the consistent line by the US administration intended for curtailment of the contacts with Byelorussian side.