GENEVA, September 14. /TASS/. Russia has drawn the world’s attention towards the revival of "Nazi ideas" in Europe and the West’s "blatant Russophobic attitudes," Russian diplomat Ilya Barmin said on Wednesday.
"We can state that Nazi ideas have been revived in Europe," the diplomat said, addressing the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. "Ukraine, Latvia and Estonia whose governments have authorized history revisions have especially succeeded in that. Accomplices of Hitlerite Germany who have the blood of millions on their hands are being officially proclaimed heroes there. Their contemporary followers, including militants from the battalion Azov (outlawed in Russia), are also being lauded," he said.
Barmin pointed to moves in Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic to "deliberately destroy memorials commemorating those who sacrificed their lives to save Europe from the horrors of fascism," while the authorities in Latvia, he said, "have been desecrating war memorials by disentombing war dead in violation of their international commitments." "The Nuremberg trials or the fate of Nazis and their accomplices do not seem to have taught those governments anything," Barmin remonstrated.
"Against this background, blatant Russophobic attitudes have been intensifying in the West," the Russian diplomat added. According to him, "Russian children are being bullied at schools, Russians are being denied services, athletes from this country have been blocked from taking part in international tournaments, and Russia-related cultural events are being cancelled." He also mentioned recent steps on the part of the EU and its member countries to deny entry to Russian nationals, slamming those as classical Nazism in its worst manifestation.
Participants in the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council have gathered to discuss pressing human rights issues. The session opened on Monday and will last till October 7.