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Finland sets dangerous precedent denying entry to Russian delegation — Russia’s OSCE envoy

This step is in line with approaches of those countries that carry out a vicious practice of unilateral sanctions against Russia, including making ‘black lists,’ Andrey Kelin believes
Russia’s Ambassador to OSCE Andrey Kelin TASS/EPA/HELMUT FOHRINGER
Russia’s Ambassador to OSCE Andrey Kelin
© TASS/EPA/HELMUT FOHRINGER

MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. Finland’s decision to deny entry to the Russian delegation to attend the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (PA OSCE) undermines foundations of common European security and cooperation, Russia’s Ambassador to OSCE Andrey Kelin said on Friday.

"This step is in line with approaches of those countries that carry out a vicious practice of unilateral sanctions against Russia, including making ‘black lists’," Kelin said. "The Russian side has repeatedly criticized these reckless and irresponsible steps that have damaging effect on EU countries as well. It is regrettable that Finland gave in to such pressure," the diplomat said.

"EU’s decisions cannot serve as justification of Finland abandoning its international commitments, when the country organizes an annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly," Kelin said. "A dangerous precedent has been set for denying participation in OSCE events to countries that are unfavorable to other member countries," he stressed.

On Wednesday, the Finnish Foreign Ministry said that Naryshkin will be denied entry to Finland to participate in the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (PA OSCE) in Helsinki due to take place on July 5-9. The decision was explained by the fact that the State Duma speaker was included in EU’s "blacklist" of sanctioned officials.

Naryshkin later announced that the Russian delegation as a whole will not participate in the PA OSCE session in Helsinki, where it planned to put forward draft resolutions on impermissibility of sanctions against parliamentarians and countering Nazism rehabilitation. However, the Duma speaker confirmed that Russia plans to participate in the next PA OSCE session in Mongolia’s capital Ulan Bator.