Duma may hold extraordinary meeting if military operation launched against Syria - deputy
MOSCOW. Aug 30 (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma may gather for its first meeting in the fall and winter session ahead of schedule if a military operation is launched against Syria, Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Duma international affairs committee, told Interfax on Friday.
"The State Duma leadership does not rule out the possibility of holding an extraordinary session next week in case a military operation against Syria is started," Pushkov said.
The Duma chairman believes that, in the current situation, parliaments may play an important role in relieving tensions and looking for reasonable solutions to the Syria crisis, he said.
"State Duma Chairman Sergei Naryshkin, in particular, mentioned the importance of the decision made by the British parliamentarians, who refused to back the government's proposal on the United Kingdom's involvement in aggression against Syria," Pushkov said.
During his official visit to Slovakia earlier this week, Naryshkin discussed Syria with Slovak partners and appealed to parliaments of other countries to refrain from supporting a military operation against Syria. "The issue of Syria and ways of its resolution will definitely be on top of the agenda of the State Duma's fall session opening soon," Pushkov said.
The official opening of the Duma's fall session is planned for September 10.
