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MOSCOW – The refusal by US lawmakers to discuss the crisis in Syria with their Russian counterparts is regrettable, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament said Friday. US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner earlier turned down a proposed meeting with a delegation of Russian members of parliament to discuss diplomatic ways of resolving the Syria conflict.
“The unwillingness to listen to arguments on an interparliamentary level shows that our American partners understand the entire weakness of their position,” Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin said.
In a letter to the US Senate majority leader on Tuesday, Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, called for an urgent meeting to discuss ways of resolving the Syria situation without the use of force.
President Vladimir Putin backed an initiative Monday by Russian lawmakers to establish dialogue with their US counterparts. Putin praised the proposal as “very timely,” expressing hope that it would give US lawmakers “a better feel and understanding of the Russian position.” Putin assured the Russian lawmakers that he would do all he could to facilitate such bilateral talks.
The Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee approved a motion backing a military strike against Syria Wednesday, with a final vote expected next week after Congress reconvenes Monday.
The US and other Western powers say a strike is justified against Syria for the alleged use by the Assad regime last month of chemical weapons against rebels. Russian and China have consistently opposed outside armed intervention. – RIA Novosti.
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