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Russia to react with mirror response Magnitsky bill measures

“If the United States continues to put pressure and expand blacklists, Russia can react with ‘a mirror response’,” State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee chairman stressed

MOSCOW, July 12 (Itar-Tass) - Russia will react with a “mirror response” if the U.S. expands the Magnitsky List, State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Alexei Pushkov told Itar-Tass.

“If the United States continues to put pressure and expand blacklists, Russia can react with ‘a mirror response’,” Pushkov stressed.

The U.S. approval of the Magnitsky List damaged Russian-American relations, the parliamentarian said. “Now the purpose of both parties is to minimize damage by the aggressive law and not to heighten tension. I believe that political confrontation with Moscow does not meet the U.S. interests,” Pushkov said.

The committee’s chairman said he is hopeful that the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Administration “realize this”.

On July 11, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said the U.S. government intended to expand the Magnitsky List, i.e. the list of Russian officials, who were unilaterally accused of human rights violations. Her view was shared by U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Daniel Baer saying the American authorities considered the Magnitsky List an interrupted project.