MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - The Russian delegation should not participate in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) sessions due to the fact that it has been debarred from voting until 2014 ends, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.
"My stance is that we should not participate in any PACE events, including meetings, until the end of the year and not participate in any rallies and monitoring missions until hotheads in the PACE cool down," Matviyenko told reporters on Wednesday.
The issue of the Russian delegation participating in PACE activities is still being discussed but a final decision has not been made yet, the speaker said.
"If the situation regarding Russia due to the events in Ukraine and Crimea remains as it is, we will take adequate measures," she said.
"Russia could decrease its contribution to the PACE. Russia is the main payer of the Council of Europe and transfers large sums so that this organization can function efficiently. Tell me why should we support this organization with contributions and tolerate unfair, groundless, poorly thought-out and outrageous reproaches regarding Russia? That is why I think it is possible to cut our contributions, not to mention that Russia will not participate in the PACE work [until the year's end]. This gives us every ground to adjust our contribution," Matviyenko said.
Matviyenko said she was opposed to the stance of PACE deputies during the past spring sessions. "Instead of dialogue in the PACE, instead of condemning radical and nationalistic manifestations, they demonstrate a Russophobic attitude, a directed and agenda-driven campaign," she said.