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WASHINGTON -- The administration said Tuesday it has lifted restrictions for American diplomats stationed in the former Soviet republics that prohibited fraternizing with natives. But for now, sex is still forbidden.
The restrictions, which had prohibited close contacts between U.S. diplomats and Soviet nationals, were put into effect for national security reasons. They were meant to reduce the chances of espionage against the United States during the more than four decades of the Cold War.
Both the Soviet Union and the Cold War are history now and the United States feels its formal enemy no longer presents a mortal threat. And so, the administration no longer insists that U.S. diplomats should not develop friendships with the local population.
State Department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler said the new rules apply to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the consulate in Leningrad. The United States has opened or is in the process of establishing embassies in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kirgizhia -- and the new rules will apply to these places as well.
'I want to be honest with you and say that there are a few restrictions that are left,' Tutwiler said at a briefing.
'Predominantly, it's my understanding of this, is this is romantic involvement, and that is something that is also being reviewed,' she said. 'But the first bulk of these types of prohibitions or restrictions that existed under the old Soviet regime have been removed. '
There are no romantic restrictions imposed on U.S. diplomats working in Western European democracies such as France or Britain.
Tutwiler said the romantic prohibition does not mean the United States is discriminating against the former Soviets.
'We have big bureaucracies here,' she said. 'Bureaucracies move slowly.'
In a statement released late Tuesday, the department said it is also 'closely examining the issue of reciprocal travel controls' concerning Russian diplomats in this country and U.S. diplomats in the former Soviet Union.
'We will review it with Russia and the other new states to see if relaxation of the controls, on a reciprocal basis, is appropriate,' it said. 'For now, the controls remain in effect.'
U.S. and Russian diplomats generally now travel freely in open areas but each side maintains closed areas on its territory such as those near military installations. These closed areas have been reduced recently.