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Russian official regrets Ukraine's refusal to take part in PACE session

Head of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE Yelizaveta Yasko said earlier that her colleagues refuse to take part in the session after the Russian delegation returned to the Assembly

Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy

© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. The refusal of the Ukrainian delegation to participate in the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is regrettable, Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy told TASS on Monday.

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"The Ukrainian delegation has officially confirmed its refusal to take part in the PACE autumn session. Our colleagues from Kiev say that they want to bring back to this international platform 'the reputation of an important example of democracy, supremacy of law and protection of human rights in Europe'," Tolstoy said. In this, there is "some contradiction, as refusal to have constructive dialogue only hampers the process of decision-making," he added.

He noted that "among relevant matters are issues of observing human rights in Ukraine, humanitarian situation in the country's south-east, [reacting] to continuing infringements on the rights of Russians and Russian speakers, and much more." "These issues need to be resolved urgently, and time passes while the Ukrainian leadership is engaged in blackmailing and populism, at the same time avoiding direct dialogue. This is regrettable," Tolstoy concluded.

The PACE autumn session will be held in Strasbourg from September 30 until October 4. Head of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE Yelizaveta Yasko said earlier that her colleagues refuse to take part in the session after the Russian delegation returned to the Assembly.

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