Top Russian MP urges measures against Canada in response to expanding sanctions

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. Moscow should adopt measures against Canada in response to Ottawa’s latest move to expand sanctions against Russia, a senior Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov said on Tuesday.

"We should not pretend as if nothing is happening and we need to devise a set of measures in regard to Canada," said Pushkov, who heads the foreign affairs committee of the Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma.

Pushkov told the Russian lawmakers that Canada "is the most anti-Russian state today and in the Western alliance, in general, and no doubt, in the Group of Seven."

"The country’s government is seeking to strengthen its barely noticeable role in the international affairs and its objective lack of weight and authority by the increased activity in the sphere of sanctions policy," the lawmaker said.

Speaking on Russia’s retaliatory measures, Pushkov said "in this sense, the restrictive embargo on the import of agricultural goods from the EU countries is absolutely justified."

"I believe we should also respond in a special way to the most aggressive manifestations of the sanctions policy," Pushkov said, confirming that this namely refers to Canada.

Pushkov also said the statement of Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper that Russia cannot be allowed back into the G7 "develops a thesis on the irreversibility of confrontation between Russia and the West."

"It seems that there should be a response to this," he said.

The way out of the deadlock should start by canceling sanctions against lawmakers by both sides. "Russia and the EU should come out of this situation and restoring the principles of European parliamentarism, expanding interparliamentary dialogue is the only possible way," Pushkov stressed.

Canada introduced additional economic sanctions against 14 Russian legal entities and three Russian individuals, according to a statement issued by Harper on Monday. Ottawa also imposed a ban on import and export of goods from the territory of Crimea.

Russian companies Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegaz and Transneft have been included into the extended sanction list of Canada, the country’s foreign ministry said.

Sanctions have been also imposed against Russia’s Oboronprom, Chemcomposite, Stankoinstrument, Vysokotochnye Kompleksy, United Aircraft Corporation, Tula Arms Plant, and Sirius. Sanctions will affect Marshall Capital Fund, Eurasian Youth Union, and Night Wolves Motorcycle Club.