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Russia to raise problem of intolerance, discrimination at OSCE ministerial meeting

Lawmaker of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house Nikolai Ryzhak recalled that at its annual session in Luxembourg in July the assembly had refused to support the Russia-initiated resolution condemning glorification of Nazism and neo-Nazism

MARRAKECH, October 6. /TASS/. Russia plans to raise the topic of growing intolerance and discrimination in countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) at an upcoming meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, Nikolai Ryzhak, a lawmaker of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house and member of Russia’s delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said on Sunday.

"Amidst the alarming tendency of growing aggressiveness, intolerance, religious and ethnic discrimination in the OSCE space, we plan to raise these topics at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Bratislava on December 5-6," he said at the OSCE PA session finishing in Marrakech.

He recalled that at its annual session in Luxembourg in July the assembly had refused to support the Russia-initiated resolution condemning glorification of Nazism and neo-Nazism.

During the session, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations had a verbal exchange provoked by the speech by a Ukrainian delegation member, Vadim Galaichuk, who said that religious freedom was allegedly infringed upon in Crimea and Donbass.

"I would like to invite Mr. Galaichuk and any member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to visit Crimea, a Russian region, to see for themselves that religious rights are strictly observed there and are protected by the national legislation," Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy chairman of the international committee of Russia’s Federation Council upper house who leads the Russian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s autumn session, said in reply.

On the sidelines of the session, the Russian delegation had meetings with the Swiss lawmakers and with a delegation from the US Congress.

"We worked closely with the German delegations. Italians used to come up to us to discuss various topics," Alexander Fokin of the Russian State Duma, told TASS. "Naturally, we had contacts with the Ukrainian delegation. We discussed prospects for the development of the situation in Ukraine. We think they are very worried over the current situation." In his words, it is not ruled out that nationalistic groups may stage rallies protesting against the Normandy format.