MOSCOW, December 21. The Chairman of the state Duma Sergey Naryshkin said that a group of “genetic Russophobia” in the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) gradually narrows, and promised later to make a decision about the participation of the Russian delegation to the January session of the Assembly.
See also related news:
Disagreements between Russia and PACE
Naryshkin: the position according to the contribution of the Russian Federation in the Council of Europe will depend on the decision to participate in PACE session
Pushkov: the decision on participation of Russia in the PACE winter session will be made in January
Naryshkin: the discussion in PACE of the powers of the Russian Federation in the beginning of 2016 will be the “moment of truth”
Matvienko: Russia could change its attitude to the Council of Europe if PACE cancels sanctions
“We monitor quite carefully the situation that is happening at PACE. Here, too, attitudes were changing, a group of such genetic Russophobes, I would say, is narrowed”, – he told journalists after Monday’s Council of the state Duma.
“The final decision on whether the Russian delegation to participate in the work of the parliamentary Assembly in January, and then in 2016, we will adopt a bit later”, – said the speaker.
The Russian delegation in PACE in April 2014 was deprived of office because of Russia’s position on Ukraine and Crimea. In 2015, the parliamentary Assembly has twice adopted a decision on the possible restoration of the Russian delegation’s rights, but restrictions remain: Russia deprived of voting rights and participation in decision-making bodies of the PACE. In connection with these sanctions, the Russian delegation suspended its participation in the activities of the PACE until the end of the year.
The renewal of EU sanctions
Naryshkin, commenting on the forecasts of some of their colleagues that 2016 may be the last for restrictive measures against Russia, said that the persistence of anti-Russian sanctions says about the loss of the European Union their sovereignty.
See also
Naryshkin: the threat of the collapse of the European Union real
“It is obvious that such sentiments in minds, at least, European politicians, happen, this can be seen in many ways”. “But it is also obvious that pressure from Washington for Europe continues in this respect (the issue of maintaining sanctions – approx.) the pressure is strong,” he admitted.
“I can only regret that the European leaders are acting to the detriment of its own national interests, we can conclude that this reflects the partial loss of the European countries of their sovereignty”, – said the head of the lower house of the Russian Parliament.
He also confirmed that he considers “criminal” sanctions of the West against Russia. “I have previously criticized these actions of Washington and Brussels. These actions are illegal, they are in complete contradiction with the UN Charter, they are not confirmed and not supported in the UN Security Council”, – he reminded. “So I often used the term that it was “thuggish” actions, I’m standing still,” added the speaker.
Speaking about the sanctions against parliamentarians, he drew attention to the fact that it was contrary to parliamentary principles, European values. “So my attitude towards these sanctions as it was, and remains,” – said the head of the lower house of the Russian Parliament.
See also
All sanctions of the West against Russia
