The Secretary General of the Council of Europe at a meeting with Volodin urged not to link the lifting of sanctions from the delegation of the Russian Federation with a return in PACE

In the State Duma on the afternoon of December 6, a meeting of the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Turbierne Jagund was held. During the meeting, Volodin actually put an ultimatum: the return of the Russian Federation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is possible only when the sanctions introduced against the Russian delegation against the Russian delegation. However, Jagland, in turn, called on Russian parliamentarians not to link the lifting of sanctions from the delegation of the Russian Federation with a return in PACE.

“I would like to especially note that in the conditions of the temporary suspension of the participation of the Russian parliamentary delegation in the activity of PACE, our parliament did not take and does not intend to take any steps to self -isolation,” said Volodin (quote for TASS).

At the same time, according to him, Moscow does not consider the Return of Russia in PACA by itself, but is discussing the creation of conditions "which would exclude the repetition of such crisis situations not only in relation to Russia, but, most importantly, in relation to any other parliamentary delegation of any other country, which is represented by the parliamentary delegation."

Volodin added that Russia's return to work in PACE is possible only when discriminatory measures introduced in relation to the delegation of the Russian Federation. “We believe that the approach itself, when they are deprived of the parliamentary delegation, which means that the country is right of the vote and excluded from the parliamentary work, unacceptable in any parliament, especially this question the democratic foundations of the existence of this institution,” he said.

“Mr. Jagund tried to convince Vyacheslav Volodin, the Russian side of not lining the conditions that were put forward at the beginning of the conversation, with the possibility of returning the Russian delegation to work in PACE,” said the first vice speaker of the State Duma, who was present at the meeting.

Melnikov noted that at the end of the conversation Volodin and Jagund exchanged mobile phone numbers "to be able to contact each other directly." He added that the conversation was held in a constructive channel, a direct, frank and good exchange of views took place, RIA Novosti reports.

"Jagland raised the topic of NGOs, this topic was also the subject of discussion. Vyacheslav Viktorovich spoke about the changes to the legislation that have been made on the topic of NPOs recently and acquired the form of the law," Melnikov also noted.

“It seems to me that Volodin made such a good passage on the topic of NGOs, he turned to Mr. Jagland with such a proposal that he also persistently defends the rights of the Russian delegation and her possibility of working in PACA, as he defends the rights of NGOs in our conversation here in the State Duma,” the deputy added.

The Secretary of General of the Council of Europe also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Jagland stated that the cooperation of Russia and CE was not fundamentally injured, despite the tension that reigns in Europe.

"Indeed, now Europe is not the simplest times experiencing, some disagreements, some tension are taking place. I, nevertheless, are glad that in the framework of the European Council we have preserved the spirit of cooperation," Yagalnd explained.

According to him, the spirit of cooperation has been preserved, thanks to Russia, the Russian Foreign Minister and representatives of Russia in Strasbourg. “Although we all feel the influence of this tension, our work, nevertheless, continues, it was not fundamentally injured,” Jagund emphasized.

At the end of October, Volodin wrote a letter to the head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramuntu, in which he expressed a desire to "renew a full dialogue." The letter was an answer to Agramunt's proposal about a personal meeting.

"I hope that the coincidence of our points of view on the basic principles of democracy and parliamentarism, which contradict the deprivation of the right of voting and powers of the country's delegation, will resume a full dialogue within the framework of PACE," the letter of Volodin said .

In the spring of 2014, Russia was deprived of the right to vote in PACA in connection with the accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation. At the same time, Russian delegates remained the right to attend meetings. The deputies of the State Duma ignored the last four sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly.

In addition, Russia refused to invite the delegates to PACE to the parliamentary elections, which took place in September 2016. The Russian Foreign Ministry then stated that first it was necessary to completely restore the Russian delegation in rights, and then consider the issue of inviting representatives of PACE.