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US makes Russian delegation’s visit impossible by granting limited visa to its head — FM

Russian diplomats say the actions of US authorities grossly violate norms of international law and run contrary to obligations of states hosting multilateral forums on their territory

Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko Federation Council press service

Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko

© Federation Council press service

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US Embassy declines to comment on visa issuance for senior Russian lawmaker

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament has been granted an American visa but it contains a number of "inadmissible" restrictions on the stay in the United States which make a Russian delegation’s visit to New York impossible, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The visa issued after long delays contains a number of inadmissible restrictions on [Federation Council Speaker Valentina] Matviyenko’s stay in the United States," the ministry said in a statement on its website, adding that the speaker was not allowed to take part in any meetings and other events organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

"Under these conditions, it has become impossible for a delegation of Russian lawmakers led by Matviyenko to visit New York," the ministry said.

Russian diplomats denounced such actions of the US authorities as "totally unacceptable", saying "they grossly violate norms of international law and run contrary to obligations of states hosting multilateral forums on their territory".

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Matviyenko earlier received an official invitation to take part in the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament from member states of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, scheduled to take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from August 31 to September 2.

This event will be preceded by the 10th Meeting of Women Speakers of Parliament, due to take place in New York on August 29 and 30.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Federation Council speaker earlier said she did not rule out that she might be denied a visa to enter the United States as a person on the US sanctions list.

The United States is bound by an agreement with the United Nations, under which it is required to admit persons to the country arriving for participation in the UN events. This rule, however, does not apply to all events held on the territory of the UN compound in New York.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an independent international structure with its headquarters in Geneva and has the status of an observer organization at the UN.

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Foreign policy United States United Nations Valentina Matviyenko Visa regime

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