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Russia favors resumption of inter-parliamentary ties with US - embassy

Two US senators had called off a planned trip to Russia after another senator was denied Russian visa

Russian Embassy building in Washington AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Russian Embassy building in Washington

© AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

WASHINGTON, December 30. /TASS/. The Russian authorities favor the resumption of inter-parliamentary dialogue with the United States, suspended at the US initiative, the Russian Embassy in the US said in a statement on Friday.

"We are still in favour of resuming inter-parliamentary ties and hope that contacts between the lawmakers of our countries, which were unanimously halted by US Congress, will resume," the statement reads.

"More generally, we didn’t create this situation. We have repeatedly offered to Washington to renounce sanctions as a detrimental method of conducting foreign policy. Harm set - harm get," the Russian diplomatic mission said.

The Politico newspaper earlier reported that two Republican senators - Ron Johnson and John Barasso - had called off a planned trip to Russia after Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen, known for her staunch support of anti-Russian sanctions and measures against Russia’s RT TV channel, was denied a visa. The senators planned to meet with Russian officials and civil society members during their visit.

The embassy said visas were issued to all members of the delegation, except Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is in the Russian ‘black list.’ Shaheen is known for her staunch support of anti-Russian sanctions and measures against Russia’s RT TV channel.

The Russian side proposed different ways out of the situation, including an agreement to issue visas to blacklisted parliamentarians on reciprocal basis, but the proposal was rejected by the US side.

"Visas were issued to all members of the delegation, except Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who is in the Russian ‘black list,’ which was created in response to US sanctions against our country," the statement reads. "Attempt to present this situation as if the visit was cancelled because of the Russian side is totally biased and untrue."

"In fact, we proposed different ways out of the situation, including reaching an agreement to issue visas to parliamentarians in the ‘black lists’ on reciprocal basis. Unfortunately, this proposal was rejected by the American side," the embassy said.

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