Russia is set to actively cultivate cooperation with the organization and its member-states, said Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Ivan Soltanovsky.
PARIS, February 28.
/TASS/. Twenty-five years after joining the Council of Europe Russia is set to
actively cultivate cooperation with the organization and its member-states, and
the rumors on its imminent withdrawal are unfounded, Russia’s Permanent
Representative to the Council of Europe Ivan Soltanovsky told TASS on Sunday.
"The media
regularly circulate rumors without any real basis that Russia will soon
withdraw from the Council of Europe. Such escalation of the situation does not
benefit the common cause," Soltanovsky stated.
The diplomat noted
that although the coronavirus situation has seriously limited the possibilities
for physical contacts, this did not hinder plans on arranging a trip of
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric to Russia in
October 2020.
In December,
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Hendrik Daems
paid a brief visit to Moscow and is planning on returning to Russia in the near
future. In February, Director General of Human Rights and Rule of Law of the
Council of Europe Christos Giakoumopoulos visited Moscow.
"Despite the
pandemic, contrary to the wishes of Russophobes, we keep working in full,
defending Russian national interests, despite the noticeably increased pressure
on our country, including on European international platforms. The key to
success is confidence in one's own righteousness, calmness and an
over-the-horizon vision of prospects," he stated.
Over the past 25
years of its membership in the Council of Europe Russia has made a real
contribution to the organization’s work and is ready to expand cooperation to
address new pan-European challenges, especially in the fight against COVID-10
and vaccination, Soltanovsky told. "Of course, we consider fight against
the coronavirus pandemic in the world as a priority issue. We are ready to
cooperate with the CoE in the field of vaccination and stand for ensuring equal
access for everyone to certified vaccines on the European continent,"
Soltanovsky said.
The diplomat sees a
great potential of cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence,
ecology, biotechnology, in which "a great deal of expertise has been
accumulated."
"In general, the
number of pan-European challenges and threats is on the rise, new technologies
do not only make life easier for the population, but also go hand in hand with
inevitable human rights violations, attempts to manipulate and impose
restrictions by developers, providers and Internet giants. Finding worthy
solutions is possible only through joint efforts," he stressed.
Source: ITAR-TASS
28-02-2021
