MOSCOW, September 3. /TASS/. The Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Commission on Foreign Interference in Russia’s Internal Affairs will invite US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman to one of its sessions, head of the commission Vasily Piskarev told reporters on Tuesday, commenting on Huntsman’s claims that he is ready to explain the publications related to unsanctioned Moscow rallies on the embassy's social networks.
"We have sent a letter to Mr. Huntsman, however, his office address has changed, so it seems like he didn’t receive it," Piskarev said. "It’s good that he has expressed his desire to meet and give an explanation to the commission on the investigation of foreign interference in Russia’s internal affairs," he continued. "I hope that soon, we will decide on the date of the commission’s session, to which we will invite Mr. Huntsman, so that we can ask the questions that are of interest to us, related to the US Embassy’s interference in Russia’s internal affairs."
The Russian MP recalled that the American ambassador "stated his version of why the official page of the US embassy published the exact route of participants in the unsanctioned protest." "It didn’t sound convincing. We addressed the State Duma’s Department on International Cooperation so that they can discuss the potential date of Ambassador Huntsman’s attendance of a session of the commission on the investigation of foreign interference in Russia’s internal affairs," the MP confirmed.
In an interview released on September 2 in the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, Huntsman stated that he had not been invited to the Russian State Duma. He stated that "before the demonstrations, the embassies must publish consular notifications and warn its citizens to stay away from their location."
In August, Huntsman announced his resignation. He is expected to officially step down as ambassador on October 3.