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Russian, US officials discuss christianophobia in Europe

The two sides agreed to continue bilateral contacts, said the Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW, September 24 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian and US diplomatic officials have discussed the growth of Christianophobic sentiment in Europe.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said its commissioner for human rights, democracy and the rule of law, Konstantin Dolgov, and U.S. special envoy on issues of religious freedom, Suzan Johnson-Cook, met on the sidelines of the 66th UN General Assembly session in New York.

During the conversation the Russian side "emphasized acute problems of growing christianophobic sentiment in Europe and beyond, as well as the continuing intolerable situation with the denial of legitimate rights of Serbian Orthodox Christians in Kosovo," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The Russian diplomatic envoy also "gave detailed comments with regard to the Russian government’s systematic impolementation of the constitutional guarantees of the freedom of conscience and religion, and of the equality of religious associations before the law."

The two sides agreed to continue bilateral contacts, said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

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