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Russia to continue cooperation with PACE members despite sanctions

This work had acquired special meaning and importance under the current circumstances, chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee for International Affairsm Konstantin Kosachev, says

Konstantin Kosachev ITAR-TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov

Konstantin Kosachev

© ITAR-TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov

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MOSCOW, February 2 /TASS/. Refusal to cooperate with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) does not mean that Russia is going to stop its contacts with the national delegations at PACE, Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Russian Federation Council Committee for International Affairs, told the committee’s meeting on Monday.

"Our refusal to cooperate with the Assembly by no way means that we are going to stop cooperation with the national delegations at PACE and with national parliaments, "Kosachev said adding that this work had acquired special meaning and importance under the current circumstances.

On January 28, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) decided to extend the sanctions imposed on the Russian delegation during the spring session and deprived it of the right to vote and participate in the PACE leading bodies until April. After that, the Russian delegation suspended its work at PACE till the end of 2015.

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According to Kosachev, the January 28 decision is neither dramatic nor critical. "We are convinced that we are right, and the Strasbourg discussion has no influence at all on Russia’s approaches (to the Ukraine issue)," the Russian lawmaker said.

The Russian delegation made maximum use of its opportunities at the PACE floor.

"We did the utmost of what we could under the current circumstances," Kosachev said thanking the Russian delegation for its work at PACE.

"The Assembly showed its true worth as an assembly of delegations that do not protect values but defend the interests of relevant countries," he added.

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