MOSCOW, March 10. /TASS/. A country’s membership of the Council of Europe is terminated at the end of the current fiscal year, if a notification to this effect has been sent to the organization during the first nine months of the year, Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev said on Thursday.
Earlier in the day the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia had no intention of remaining a member of the Council of Europe.
"Exit from the Council of Europe is carried out on the basis of article 7 of the CE Charter at the initiative of the member-state, when it officially notifies the CE secretary-general. Membership is terminated at the end of the current fiscal year provided the notification was sent during the first nine months of the year," Kosachev said, adding that if such a notification is filed during the last three months of the current fiscal year, "the membership is terminated at the end of the next fiscal year."