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Russia, CE human rights commissioner hold ‘constructive’ dialogue

MOSCOW, September 11. /ITAR-TASS/. The Russian authorities maintain a “constructive and mutually respectful” dialogue with the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks is in Russia on a visit and has held a number of meetings with Russian officials. He is now planning to visit Crimea and its cities of Simferopol and Bakhchisarai.

“On the whole, we assess positively the constructive and mutually respectful dialogue we have established with the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights. We hope that the current visit to our country, including to the Crimean Federal District, will give the commissioner a better understanding of the Russian leadership’s efforts to ensure human rights, including compliance with our international obligations assumed within the Council of Europe,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. “All relevant obligations apply to Crimea in full,” he added.

In Moscow, Muiznieks met with Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov, Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, and Human Rights Commissioner Ella Pamfilova.

The discussions focused on a wide range of issues concerning not only cooperation between Russia and the Council of Europe, including in the context of the recommendations issued by the commissioner for human rights after his previous visits to our country, but also other pressing issues on the European humanitarian agenda, including the situation in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said.

In Crimea, Muiznieks is planning to meet with the Kremlin’s representative to the region, Oleg Belaventsev; acting Head and Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov; parliament speaker Vladimir Konstantinov; and Crimean prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya.

He will also meet with members of civil society.