WASHINGTON, August 9. /TASS/. The imposition of new sanctions against Russian companies from the US side hampers the efforts to stabilize ties between the two countries and also moves opportunities for constructive interaction between Moscow and Washington further away, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said in a statement on the embassy’s Facebook page on Monday.
"U.S. administration continues to escalate the situation artificially. Having arrogated to itself the right to judge and punish all "the unwanted", it again follows the path of introducing unilateral restrictions in circumvention of international law and the UN Security Council," the envoy said when commenting on the announcement of more sanctions imposed by the US. "Moreover, while announcing decisions to punish certain Russian enterprises, Washington is asking us to take for granted that these firms allegedly violated American non-proliferation rules. As usual, no evidence is provided to the Russian side. We consider this approach unacceptable and fundamentally contradicting the "spirit of Geneva", as well as efforts to stabilize relations between the two countries. Such actions of Washington by contrast increasingly push back the prospects for any constructive interaction."
Russia’s Pulsar Scientific and Production Enterprise, Charter Green Light Moscow and Asia-Invest have been sanctioned by the US administration as Washington deems that they violate the US national legislation that bans proliferation of WMDs in relation to Iraq, North Korea and Syria, the US State Department published the notice on Monday in the Federal Register. The document shows that the decision was made on July 29.
The sanctions are in place for two years but this time can be reduced or ended by the US Secretary of State. Washington does not clarify what exactly prompted these sanctions.