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Russian diplomat slams Victoria Nuland's statement on Nemtsov murder

US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said that possible extension of the so-called Magnitsky Act would depend on the progress of the investigation into the case
At the mourning rally in memory of Boris Nemtsov TASS/Evgeniy Kurskov
At the mourning rally in memory of Boris Nemtsov
© TASS/Evgeniy Kurskov

MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. A criminal case opened in Russia over the murder of Russian politician Boris Nemtsov has nothing to do with international law, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexey Meshkov said on Thursday.

Meshkov said this in comment to the statement by US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who said that possible extension of the so-called Magnitsky Act would depend on the progress of the investigation into the case. "We have made absolutely clear publicly and privately to the Russian Federation that the international community will expect an investigation that meets international standards and that finds not only the shooter, but the orderer of the murder," Nuland told hearings in the US Congress on March 4.

"It’s difficult to understand how those who do not observe international law would give assessments of international law," Meshkov said. "Moreover, does international law have anything to do with the investigation of a criminal case in Russia?"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier criticized US President Barack Obama’s remarks about the murder of Boris Nemtsov. His speechwriters had no time to deliver anything, while he himself was unable to offer decent wording," Lavrov said.

Obama had said that Nemtsov’s murder was "a symptom of climate - at least in Russia - in which civil society, independent reporters, citizens, trying to communicate through the Internet, more and more feel that they are under threat." At the same time Obama openly acknowledged that he had no idea about the real circumstances of Nemtsov’s death.