MOSCOW, July 29 /TASS/. Most projects of the National Endowment for Democracy - a US organization whose activities are undesirable in Russia - are aimed at destabilizing the internal situation in countries that pursue an independent policy, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Profound concerns of the US State Department over the future of Russian civil society in connection with a decision to recognize the activities of the US National Endowment for Democracy fund to be undesirable in the territory of Russia is clearly hypocritical," the Russian Foreign Ministry said adding that Washington was supposed to know better than anybody else what is hidden behind the organization’s deceptive name.

"It is a non-governmental organization only on paper. In reality, it has got its money from the US budget, including funds allocated by intelligence bodies, ever since its foundation," the ministry stressed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry recalled the words of Carl Gershman, president of the National Endowment for Democracy, who said - absolutely openly - that the organization was intended to be a beautiful facade for distributing funds among opposition circles in foreign countries.

"The deeds of the fund which is preoccupied with servicing US foreign policy interests speak for themselves," the Russian diplomats said. "The analysis of concrete projects shows that most of them are aimed at destabilizing by various means the internal situation in countries that pursue an independent policy in accordance with their own national interests rather than on order from Washington," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Russia appreciates and supports the activities of organizations that are engaged in constructive work, including the promotion of democracy, which is in demand by Russian society. "However, we will never tolerate any mentorship and open interference in our internal affairs on the part of foreign organizations," the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.

National Endowment for Democracy became the first undesirable international organization in Russia following a decision of the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office made on July 28. The US State Department said that Russia’s decision was arousing profound concerns over the future of civil society in Russia.