Kosachyov informs PACE Russia not to apply for confirmation of authorities in Jan
MOSCOW. Jan 13 (Interfax) - Russia will not apply for confirmation of its delegation's authority in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in January, however, it is determined to have a dialogue with the organization, the Federation Council's foreign affairs committee chairman Konstantin Kosachyov told the PACE leadership.
"I have confirmed that in the existing conditions the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is not planning to apply to PACE for the confirmation of authority of its delegation, it would have been necessary to do so prior to the Assembly's January session prior to January 16. At the same time, I have confirmed the determination of my colleagues from the Russian delegation to PACE to maintain working contacts with PACE leadership representatives and its political groups as part of joint events," Kosachyov said on his blog on the Federation Council's website following a meeting with the PACE President Pedro Agramunt in Moscow on Friday.
He said that the first of these events can be the anniversary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States in St. Petersburg on March 27-28 and the conference on countering international terrorism held in conjunction with the session jointly with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE PA).
"Agramunt has confirmed his personal conviction that existing differences in evaluation of several events of relevance in modern international politics, first and foremost, the situation involving Ukraine, should not become an obstacle for Russia's comprehensive participation in the activities of PACE," Kosachyov said.
He said that Agramunt has noted that Russia is a European country, and its membership in the Council of Europe is vitally important both for the organization itself and the Russians.
"At the same time, Agramunt said that supporters of a hard line on Russia are still sufficiently represented in the Assembly and do not conceal their intent to continue calling into question the authority of the Russian delegation to PACE if the relevant application is received," he said.
The Federation Council member informed Agramunt regarding the consolidated stance of both houses of the Federal Assembly on the impossibility of the resumption of the Russian delegation's participation in PACE activities if restrictions on its authorities remain.
"An upgrade of the work of the Assembly, for instance, by means of the introduction of amendments to its regulations, would become an exit from the deadlock created by Russophobic forces in Strasbourg. [I] pointed out that such reforms are overdue and needed by the organization itself, not only Russia, and that unimpeded participation in discussions of all national delegations without exceptions in the PACE platform would become definitive proof of the democratic nature of this parliamentary assembly," Kosachyov said.