Russia to Retain PACE Membership on Conditions of Equality – Lawmaker

The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the lower house of Russia's parliament said that Russia does not intend to fully exit PACE, but will be ready to hold discussions within the Assembly only under the spirit of democracy.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia does not intend to fully exit the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), but will be ready to hold discussions within the Assembly only under the spirit of democracy, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the lower house of Russia's parliament said on Wednesday.

In April, 2014 PACE adopted a resolution, under which the Russian delegation was deprived the right to vote and the right to be represented in the governing structures of the PACE for a year, a decision later prolonged for another year. Such measures meant a mark of the West's disapproval and refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Crimea's joining Russia, and Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

Russia has denied the claims, and has not taken part in the work of PACE since the sanctions were applied.

"We do not see the willingness to abandon the policy of sanctions. But we hope there will be positive developments, as Russia did not exit PACE and we do not set the goal of fully exiting the organization," Alexei Pushkov told the Izvestia newspaper.

Pushkov added that Russia would be ready to cooperate only on the basis of full equality and equal status with other delegations.