Russian Ambassador Antonov, Sen. Rand Paul Discuss Resuming Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

Russian Ambassador Antonov, Sen. Rand Paul Discuss Resuming Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue

March 22, 2018 (EIRNS)—Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov met with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) recently, and discussed, among other things, the possible resumption of inter-parliamentary dialogue, TASS reports today.

“Ambassador Antonov and Senator Paul discussed Russian-U.S. relations and the prospects for a resumption of inter-parliamentary dialogue,”

a statement by the Russian embassy said. “The interlocutors also took up the problems of regional and global security.” Paul’s office put out a statement about their meeting on March 21. The Senator is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and said he “regularly” meets with ambassadors to the U.S.

Antonov had told Politico on March 7 that

“The Congress, overwhelmed by Russophobia, is led by politically biased emotions, rather than a clear-thinking mind. We’re bluntly told they fear criticism.”

Senators Bob Corker (TN), who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Ron Johnson (WI) had told Politico they had already met with Antonov, as had Senate President Pro Tem Orrin Hatch (UT).

TASS also quotes a Congressional aide’s remarks to Politico:

“After what happened to Jeff Sessions, no member wants to be in the press for meeting with the Russian ambassador [and] ... any lawmaker who does meet with Antonov should be upfront about it. At least for now, any meeting would have to be bipartisan and publicly acknowledged.”

However, TASS repeated that Moscow wants to resume dialogue between the U.S. Congress and Russia’s bicameral legislature, the Federal Assembly, which the U.S. had suspended.