MOSCOW. May 10 (Interfax) - Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said that provocations against members of delegations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) are unacceptable.
"Unfortunately, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation is becoming a hostage to Washington and Brussels' destructive policy," Volodin told reporters on Wednesday.
Russian MP Olga Timofeyeva, which headed the Russian parliamentary delegation to the PABSEC, and member of the State Duma's executive staff Valery Stavitsky were subject to a provocation staged by Ukrainian representatives at the organization's recent meeting, he said.
"Such actions are unacceptable," he added.
Volodin said that he had thanked Tomofeyeva and Stavitsky "for their professionalism in defending Russia's position at the PABSEC."
The 61st PABSEC General Assembly and the summit took place in Ankara on May 4-5. The Ukrainian delegation attempted to disrupt the Russian participants' speeches, Timofeyeva's press service said earlier.
The Russian embassy in Ankara said on May 4 that a member of the Russian delegation to the PABSEC summit was attacked as he tried to stop the Ukrainian representatives' provocation during Timofeyeva's televised remarks following the event.