OSCE Anti-Russia Resolution Targets Kremlin, Not Russians – US Delegate

The anti-Russia draft resolution debated by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) in Helsinki is aimed at the Kremlin rather than Russian people, the head of the US delegation said Monday.

HELSINKI (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova – The draft document condemns "clear, gross and uncorrected violations of Helsinki Principles" that Russia has allegedly committed in regard to Ukraine since 2014. It was tabled for a vote at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly by Ukraine and Canada.

"I strongly support the Canadian and Ukrainian resolution," US delegation’s head Roger Wicker said Monday. "At the same time, I want to point out that the resolution of condemnation of Russian aggression is directed to the government leaders of Russia and is not critical of Russian people and we wish for it to be seen as a hopeful sign by the Russian people," he added.

The draft resolution was put on the parliament’s agenda despite its failure to secure two thirds of the vote, in what Russia’s delegate Nikolai Kovalev described as a gross violation of the organization’s rules.

An OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Helsinki is taking place on July 5-9. The Russian delegation is not participating because they were denied visas by the Finnish authorities.