In response to the non-issuance of a US visa to a US Duma official to attend the UN General Assembly, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Washington’s move, which was aimed at exerting pressure on other countries, was unacceptable.
According to the international group of Pak Sahafat news agency, quoted by “Novosti” news agency, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the United States was manipulating visas to pressure other countries.
The statement said: “The United States Government is openly abusing the UN headquarters on its soil. Washington officials manipulate the issuance of visas to delegations from some parts of the world, effectively determining who can attend and who can be barred from attending UN events, in order to put pressure on others. “
The Russian Foreign Ministry thus interpreted the US government’s refusal to issue a visa to enter the United States to Leonid Slotsky, chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, to attend the UN General Assembly.
The ministry called the US government’s move arbitrary and contrary to all international law, which will certainly not go unanswered by Moscow officials.
Slotsky announced yesterday (Wednesday) that he could not obtain a US visa to attend the UN General Assembly. According to the parliamentary official, his name is on the unannounced black list of the US State Department.
The Duma official stressed that Washington has no legal right to prevent other countries’ official representatives from attending UN events. Noting that this is not the first time that US officials have made such a fuss about the activities of Russian delegations, Slotsky suggested that the UN headquarters be moved to another country.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is chairing the Russian delegation to the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.