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Russia to make proportionate response to US sanctions over human trafficking

Russian Foreign Ministry’s commissioner for human rights believes such a turn of events would run against further positive development of Russian-US relations

MOSCOW, June 20 (Itar-Tass) - Russia will make a proportionate response to the United States, if Washington takes sanctions against Moscow over the human trafficking situation, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s commissioner for human rights, democracy and the rule of law Konstantin Dolgov said in the wake of the Department of State’s report on the human trafficking situation around the world.

“As far as the possibility of taking exterritorial unilateral sanctions against Russia under the 2000 US Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act is concerned, the very instance of raising this question is outrageous,” Dolgov said. “Such a turn of events would run counter to the goals of the further positive development of Russian-US relations and constructive agreements achieved between the Russian and US presidents in the course of their recent meeting in Lough Erne.”

“Naturally, unfriendly steps will entail proportionate retaliation,” the diplomat said.

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