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Russia Expels Estonian Diplomat

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Estonia have soured after the Baltic state's consul general, Franek Persidski, was declared persona non grata by St. Petersburg authorities.

The decision may represent a Russian tit-for-tat for an incident that took place in March.

The Estonian newspaper Day by Day reported that Estonia had refused to grant visas to a group of young Russians who were on their way to Tallinn to participate in round-table discussions at The Baltic Dialogue 2013.

"Franek Persidski has already returned to Estonia from the consulate general in St. Petersburg," the Estonian Foreign Ministry told Interfax late Wednesday. "This is the Russian side's response to an earlier decision made by the Estonia authorities."

Russian authorities have not commented on the incident.

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