BRUSSELS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Belgium said Monday it "regrets" Rwanda's decision to sever diplomatic ties and expel Belgian diplomats declared persona non grata.

Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the move "disproportionate" and criticized Rwanda for "preferring not to engage in dialogue" in the event of a disagreement, according to a statement posted on social media.

Brussels said it would take reciprocal measures, including summoning the Rwandan charge d'affaires ad interim, declaring Rwanda's diplomats persona non grata, and denouncing governmental cooperation agreements.

Rwanda announced on Monday that it was cutting ties with Belgium, accusing its former colonial ruler of "taking sides" with Kinshasa "long before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)."

Rwanda's government has ordered all Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.

Also on Monday, the European Union (EU) announced its sanction upon some of Rwanda's military officials and the head of one mining agency, accusing them of supporting armed fighters in the eastern DRC.

The Rwanda-EU political tension came against the backdrop of mounting conflicts between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels and the DRC military. The DRC has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 while Kigali alleges that the DRC military has allied with the Rwandan rebel group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, which is linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Enditem

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