NUR-SULTAN. Sept 24 (Interfax) - A tweet of the U.S. embassy which gave a detailed description of the route of the unpermitted rally held on August 3 was essentially an invitation to participate, the head of the State Duma commission investigating interference in Russian internal affairs, Vasily Piskaryov, told the press on Tuesday.
"We have proof that their information had a hidden meaning and encouraged participation in the unpermitted rally, demonstration, march," Piskaryov said.
The commission "asked nationally and internationally acclaimed specialists in linguistics to say what it was," he said.
The commission's opinion that "it was actually an invitation was confirmed by independent experts unrelated to politics and parties, who live their own life, and who specialize in this particular field," Piskaryov said. "Our opinion that this was actually an act of interference has been confirmed," he said.
"The commission is additionally studying international practices of sovereignty protection. We are lagging behind in this area, and they are ahead of us. We kindly seek to make contact, but they see it as a weakness," Piskaryov said.
The commission does not expect to see U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman at its meeting but intends to establish dialogue with his successor, Piskaryov said. "We need those with whom we can really prepare an agenda. I think it would be right to build dialogue with the new head of the diplomatic mission, considering that the further development of our relations will depend on him," he said.
"Still, if Huntsman has a wish" to communicate with members of the Duma commission he can always do so, Piskaryov said. "We have invited him again via the Foreign Ministry," he said.
The State Duma commission investigating interference in Russian internal affairs was established at a special meeting of the State Duma Council in August soon after a formal statement made by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
Zakharova said that Moscow would inform leaders of the United States and Germany about interference of their diplomats and media in Russia's internal affairs through their posting of information about unpermitted rallies in Moscow. She referred to reports of the German television and radio broadcaster Deutsche Welle, which called for joining unpermitted protests in Moscow, and the tweet of the U.S. embassy.