MOSCOW, November 15 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow will give a tough response to the USA's passing the Magnitsky bill, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich stated here on Tuesday.
"Such a move will inevitably influence the whole range of bilateral relations. We won't leave this anti-Russian initiative to introduce visa and financial sanctions against our country simultaneously with the cancellation of the Jackson-Vanik amendment without consequences," the diplomat underlined.
Moscow will have to respond in a tough way, depending on what final shape this unfriendly and provocative act will take, he said.
"Moscow regards as unacceptable the attempts to tie the elimination of such an anachronism as the Jackson-Vanik amendment which hampers normal Russia-US relations with the bringing forward of various kinds of claims in the human right sphere," Lukashevich said.
"Taking into account the grossest violations of human rights in the USA, including the legalization of tortures and keeping inmates in special CIA prisons without trials, the USA has no moral grounds to preach and lecture other countries.
"If the actions by U.S. legislations which obviously contradict the spirit of cooperation and the recent agreement on streamlining visa formalities will be approved by the executive branch, Russia will not leave it without an answer.
"Our relations should be built on the basis of the ternary of fundamental principles: equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of each other and real respect for the interests of both countries," the Russian diplomat said.