MOSCOW. March 1 (Interfax) - The non-admission of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva is unlawful and counterproductive, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said.
"We have been working with the UN Secretariat, since this is a UN event absolutely unrelated to bilateral relations with other countries, including those in Europe. The decision to deny admission to the minister is unlawful," Gatilov said in an interview published by the newspaper Izvestia.
"We have said so and we believe that this is counterproductive, because it does not allow to relay the Russian stance on essential items on the agenda, including at the UN Human Rights Council," he said.
Moscow "has made attempts to have this decision against the minister reversed," Gatilov said.