Konstantin Kosachev
The Federation Council cancelled the meeting of the Chairman of the international Committee of the upper house of Parliament Konstantin Kosachev with the head of the Committee on foreign Affairs and defence of the Norwegian Parliament Ms. Huitfeld, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday, February 1.
In the office of the international Committee of the Federation Council did not specify the reasons of such decision, the Agency said.
Earlier, the Norwegian foreign Ministry reported that the delegation of the people’s representatives of this country were forced to cancel a trip to Moscow due to the fact that not all of them were able to obtain a Russian visa.
The Minister børge Brende called the incident “unjust and unreasonable” and summoned the Russian Ambassador in Norway for consultations. In addition, he expressed Moscow protest through diplomatic channels and called for a review of the decision. The Minister stressed that the meetings between parliamentarians is an “important element” of political contact.
The foreign Ministry believe that the reason for the refusal of visas could be support by Norway of the anti-Russian EU sanctions over the situation in Ukraine.
Visit of Norwegian parliamentarians was planned for 2-3 February. This trip was supposed to be the first at this level for the last three years.