RIA Novosti: Senior Russian MP calls for dissociation from USA on human rights issue

Alexei Pushkov file photo

(RIA Novosti – June 17, 2014) Head of the State Duma International Affairs Committee Aleksey Pushkov believes that it is time for Russia to admit a total divergence of opinions with the USA about the meaning of human rights, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on 17 June.

“It is time to record our complete dissociation from the USA as regards the definition of human rights. The USA have long ago turned the human rights doctrine into a tool serving their foreign policy interests. The American position on Ukraine is not so much as the manifestation of double standards but total and full-fledged cynicism,” Pushkov said.

Russian State Duma Building file photo“It has become impossible to say that there is a chance to hold at least some discussion with the USA trying to find some common criteria. The USA have gone beyond the line which separates discussion from cynicism,” he added.

He turned his attention to a new argument voiced by the USA that Ukraine should have a monopoly on using force in i! ts territory whereas the Syrian authorities, according to Washington, cannot have such a monopoly, the report said. Here we are observing two situations, where the USA are taking antithetical positions, Pushkov said. “The West believe that they are entitled to breach the international law and support such breaches when it comes to their advantage, and also urge adherence to the international law when it is again advantageous to them”, he said.

 

 

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