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Kremlin hails Russia return to Europe rights body
MOSCOW, June 25, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The Kremlin hailed Tuesday Russia’s
return to the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly as “victory of
common sense”, after Moscow was stripped of its voting rights over the
annexation of Crimea.
A decision to allow Russia to return is a deeply controversial issue and
divided the European continent’s foremost human rights body.
Kremlin critics say that Russia’s comeback is the first crack in
international sanctions imposed on Moscow after it annexed Crimea in 2014.
“This is a very positive event,” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“PACE cannot fully operate without Russia’s participation,” Peskov added,
praising the “victory of common sense” in Strasbourg.
Earlier Tuesday, the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly (PACE)
agreed to allow Russian representatives to return, to prevent Russia crashing
out of the top rights body.
But Ukraine and the Baltic countries say the move sends the wrong signal
to the world, adding Moscow did nothing to deserve the lifting of sanctions.
The Tuesday decision sparked outrage in Ukraine, with the ex-Soviet
country suspending its work at PACE and President Volodymyr Zelensky calling
the move “disappointing.”
Russia had warned that it could quit the Council of Europe altogether if
it was not allowed to take part in Wednesday’s election of the watchdog’s new
general secretary.
Moscow representatives were stripped of their voting rights after Russia’s
annexation of Crimea.
Russia responded by boycotting the assembly, and has since 2017 refused to
pay its 33-million-euro ($37-million) share of the annual budget of the human
rights watchdog.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russia would pay its
debt “as soon as” the country’s rights at PACE are restored in full.
The Council of Europe, which is separate from the European Union, has no
binding powers but brings together around 300 lawmakers from 47 states to
make recommendations on rights and democracy.
Its centrepiece is the European Court of Human Rights.
BSS/AFP/RY/1808 hrs