MOSCOW, September 5. /TASS/. A potential implementation of the US initiative to declare Russia a "terrorism sponsor state" will lead to the harshest response actions from Moscow, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said in an interview for Rossiyskaya Gazeta published Monday.
"I would like to note that declaring us a ‘terrorism sponsor state’ would become an unprecedentedly cynical decision, which will lead to the harshest reciprocal action from our side," he said.
The envoy added that such initiative would include an option of serious sanctions against Moscow, but it does not mention severance of diplomatic ties with Russia.
"Such measure provides for introduction of serious economic sanctions, up to seizure of state assets. At the same time, US legal acts do not directly mention automatic severance of diplomatic ties," Antonov added.
On July 27, the US Senate adopted a resolution calling on the US Department of State to declare Russia a terrorism sponsor state. The document names events in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria and Ukraine as a pretext for such decision. Earlier, Kiev called on Washington to add Russia to the list. On July 28, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers announced their intention to introduce a similar document for reviewing in the House.
The list of terrorism sponsor states includes states that "repeatedly provided support to acts of international terrorism," according to Washington. The US Administration has wide powers in terms of imposing sanctions against the states on the list. The US government can take measures against people and countries trading with the states on the list. Currently, the list includes Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Syria.