Volodin calls on Pelosi to check U.S. secret services' actions in regard to Deputy Yumasheva
MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - Russian Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has written to Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States Congress Nancy Pelosi requesting measures to verify whether U.S. security services acted lawfully toward Duma deputy Inga Yumasheva at the airport in New York and to prevent such incidents in future.
"I would like to ask you, dear Mrs. Speaker, to take every measure which depends on you to prevent such unfriendly acts in the future," Volodin said in the letter, which was released by the Duma's press service.
"I hope there will be an inquiry into the provocative incident at the New York airport and the actions of U.S. security services will be given an objective evaluation," he said.
"As leaders of parliament directly representing the interests of our citizens, we cannot let this situation worsen further," Volodin said.
Yumasheva was arrested at the airport by U.S. customs and border officers, he said.
"She had her passport and cellular phone seized from her, after which the member of the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly was subjected to a more than hour-long questioning with participation of a Federal Bureau of Investigation officer," Volodin said.
"We see this incident as a cynical and unacceptable provocation" and "yet another step in the way of civil dialogue between our countries," he said.
"The creation of artificial barriers to Russian officials, including diplomats and parliamentarians, working in the framework of international multilateral events on U.S. territory has become regular," Volodin said.
"Such destructive practices cause serious damage to Russian-American relations, including our inter-parliamentary cooperation," he said.