Konstantin Kosachev read a message of greetings from Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko.
Federation Council (FC) Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, First Deputy Chairman of the FC Committee on Foreign Affairs Sergei Kislyak, Member of the FC Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Alexander Bashkin, and Member of the FC Committee on Budget and Financial Markets Dina Oyun took part in the MPs for Peace joint seminar with the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN). The event took place via videoconference and was attended by over 50 MPs from six PARLACEN member states.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko sent a message of greetings to the participants in the seminar.
President of PARLACEN Guillermo Daniel Ortega Reyes also welcomed the seminar participants.
Konstantin Kosachev devoted his speech to the prospects of cooperation with the Central American Parliament.
“The Central American countries are time-tested partners for us,” he said. Kosachev noted that Russia considers cooperation with the Central American nations an important part of Russia’s foreign policy in Latin America.
“We do not look at Latin America only through the prism of geopolitical interests and do not face our partners with the dilemma of whom they should befriend or not. We are against any barriers. We are for creating bridges, for a united, politically and economically sustainable Latin America,” he said.
Konstantin Kosachev expressed the conviction that cooperation between Russia’s and Central America’s MPs opens up more opportunities for coordinating positions.
The FC Deputy Speaker praised PARLACEN for the emphasis it gives to countering the glorification of fascism. He welcomed the development of cooperation in space and the initiative to create the Eurasia-Latin America Parliamentary Assembly.
Certain Russian senators took the floor during the seminar.
Alexander Bashkin spoke about the legislative aspects of the struggle against Nazism and radical extremism and the ensuring of information security.
Sergei Kislyak reviewed urgent problems of international relations and the world situation, including food security.
Dina Oyun talked about the humanitarian aspects of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russophobia and “cancel culture.”
The Federation Council and the Central American Parliament adopted a joint statement following the seminar.
The document noted the vigorous development and deepening of inter-parliamentary cooperation between Russia and Central America.
It emphasised that revival of extremist ideologies such as fascism and race discrimination is unacceptable in modern democratic societies. The MPs pointed out that certain groups should not be allowed to manipulate history for their current political purposes. They are trying to play down the contribution and sacrifices of the peoples in World War II, especially the Soviet people that played a decisive role in the rout and unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its allies.
The statement also emphasised that “the United Nations is called on to play a key role in international affairs and be the centre of drafting and implementing the fundamental standards of international law.”
The participants urged MPs throughout the world to take part in a broad dialogue and a search for peaceful, civilised answers to new global challenges and threats.