Russian Lawmaker Confirms Moscow's Intention To Participate In OSCE Summit

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd February, 2023) Russia intends to take part in the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), scheduled for February 23-24 in Vienna, Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of the Russian State Duma's international affairs committee, told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Earlier in February, Austria agreed to issue visas to Russian and Belarusian delegations to allow them to take part in the summit. Poland and Lithuania refused to participate in the winter session, and Ukraine decided to boycott the event.

"Yes, we are going to attend," Slutsky said when asked if Russian officials were going to Vienna despite the extremely challenging rhetoric from some Western countries.

On the same day, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Margareta Cederfelt said that Russian parliamentarians would not be banned from taking part in the summit despite the calls to do so as communication is needed.

"Some have called for the OSCE PA's meeting to be postponed or even cancelled because Russian parliamentarians are expected to be in attendance. The Austrian Foreign Ministry, which according to its Headquarters Agreement with the OSCE is obliged to facilitate entry into Austria for official meetings, has also come under pressure to deny visas to the Russian delegates. I understand those OSCE PA members who may not wish to attend and sit in the same room as senior Russian officials. It is of course difficult to sit with Russian parliamentarians who have blindly supported the Kremlin's war, but it is important that they hear our message. We will be sure to let them know that we reject their war and that we support Ukraine," Cederfelt said in a statement.