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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus

Australian government loses bid to cancel lease for new Russian embassy site

The current Russian embassy in Canberra. The Russian government bought the lease for a new site in Canberra in 2008 but failed to start building, prompting an attempt to cancel the lease.
The current Russian embassy in Canberra. The Russian government bought the lease for a new site in Canberra in 2008 but failed to start building, prompting an attempt to cancel the lease. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Australian government has made an embarrassing backdown in its attempts to turf the Russian government off the site of its new embassy in Canberra.

The National Capital Authority (NCA) last year announced a decision to terminate the Russian government’s lease on a block of land in the wealthy suburb of Yarralumla, where it was building its new embassy.

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