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Tighter US sanctions may plunge world into another Cold War — senior lawmaker

Should the proposed legal act take effect, Russian-US relations will face more hindrances, a lawmaker warns

MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Tighter US sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea may plunge the world into another Cold War, a senior Russian legislator told the media on Wednesday.

"Regrettably, I have to state that the world may slide into another Cold War," said Frants Klintsevich, first deputy chairman of the Federation Council’s defense and security committee.

He likened the bill on sanctions to the notorious Jackson-Vanik amendment.

"The strength of the bill’s negative effects on bilateral relations can be likened to that of the notorious Jackson-Vanik amendment of 1974, which restricted trade with countries which the US holds responsible for human rights violations. The operation of the amendment in relation to Russia was officially canceled by Congress 38 years later, on November 21, 2012," Klintsevich is quoted by his press-service as saying.

Should the proposed legal act take effect, Russian-US relations will face more hindrances. "I believe it makes no sense to speculate what kind of response to the new sanctions Russia may choose. One thing is clear: if this piece of legislation comes into force - the US president must be aware of that - Russian-US cooperation over the most important international problems, including resistance to international terrorism, will be greatly hindered, if possible at all," Klintsevich said.

The House of Representatives of the US Congress on Tuesday voted for a bill tightening unilateral US sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea. The bill is now to go before the Senate for approval. The upper house is likely to approve the bill, which enjoys wide support from both the oppositional Democratic party and ruling Republic party on Capitol Hill. After that the bill will be submitted to President Donald Trump for signature. The White House over the past few days made it clear Trump was prepared to sign the bill into law.