STRASBOURG - The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) may lift its sanctions against the Russian delegation in April if by then Russia fulfills what is prescribed by a PACE resolution of Jan. 28 that deprives the delegation of its rights of vote and other basic rights, PACE President Anne Brasseur said on Jan. 29.
PACE will check when it reconvenes in April whether Russia has complied with the document and may return the right of vote and other rights to the Russian delegation if the review shows there has been progress toward the targets set by the resolution, Brasseur told a news conference.
If it does not lift the sanctions in April, PACE may return to the matter in June, she said.
She also said PACE was willing to maintain a dialogue with Russia.
After Wednesday’s resolution was passed, the Russian delegation announced that it would suspend its membership in PACE until the end of 2015 and that, unless the Assembly softened its line on Russia, would consider leaving the Council of Europe.
