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The Foreign Affairs Committee supported Russia’s withdrawal from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

The International Affairs Committee recommended that the State Duma denounce the Convention on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The bill, submitted by the Russian Government, is proposed to be considered at a plenary session on October 15.

As explained in the accompanying documents, on March 30, 2022, in violation of the provisions of the Convention, the Council suspended the Russian Federation’s participation in the organization’s activities. Despite repeated appeals from the Russian side, the unlawful decision has not been canceled to date, said Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the Committee.

The Council is an international scientific body that provides recommendations on an annual basis regarding the exploitation of aquatic biological resources in order to ensure their sustainable use and conservation, as well as the protection of vulnerable ecosystems. The Russian Government specifically emphasizes that the provisions of the Convention do not provide for the possibility of removing any contracting party from participation in the work of the Council, or putting to a vote issues that go beyond the authority of the organization. “The denunciation of the Convention will be a response to the Russophobic steps of ICES. This decision in no way infringes on the interests of the Russian Federation,” L. Slutsky noted.

The council’s area of ​​activity is the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. According to the explanatory note, the council’s members are 20 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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