Russia’s parliament at a meeting on Wednesday adopted a statement by the Russian Federal Assembly on the suspension of the Russian delegation’s participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE PA) and the payment of contributions to its budget, Russian media reported.
The draft statement was also adopted by the State Duma. The document notes that the possibilities for continuing constructive dialogue in the OSCE PA have been completely exhausted under the current conditions. The statement reads:
In this regard, the Senators of the Russian Federation and Deputies of the State Duma consider it reasonable and legitimate to suspend the participation of the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in the OSCE PA as well as the payment of the contributions of the Russian Federation to the OSCE PA budget. During the period of suspension, any actions to amend the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly to the detriment of the Russian delegation will be deemed legally null and void.
The senators and deputies said that they were ready to return to the work of the OSCE PA on condition that its leadership and a number of member states revise “Russophobic and discriminatory approaches” to solving European security problems. The Federal Assembly expressed the hope that sensible forces in the Assembly would show the will to resolve the political and ideological crisis in the OSCE area in the interests of stability on the continent.
During the meeting, the Chairperson of the Council of the Federation Council, Valentina Matvienko, instructed the International Committee of the Federation Council to inform the OSCE PA immediately of the suspension of the Russian delegation’s participation.
