‘NO’: PRESIDENT BIDEN ON DESIGNATING RUSSIA AS STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR

Tue 06 September 2022:

The US president Biden, declared said on Monday that Russia should not be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, a designation that Ukraine has lobbied amid Moscow-Kyiv war, while Russia warned that such a designation would sever US-Russia ties, Reuters reported

Asked if Russia should be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, Joe Biden told reporters at the White House: “No.”

In July, the US Senate unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution to designate Russia a terrorism sponsor for its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Russia will likely qualify as a state sponsor of terror as evidenced by the war crimes committed since the start of the war on Ukraine. The civilian killings in Bucha and bombing of hospitals and residential areas in several cities of Ukraine including the Mariupol hospital airstrike shows that civilians have also been targeted.

The Biden administration may not be designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism because it would negatively impact businesses that are still operating in Russia. Such a designation would also lead to total breakdown of diplomatic ties between both nations since it would decrease the scope for future diplomatic engagement with Moscow.

Such a designation would bring not only financial restrictions but also bans on defence industry and dual use exports. The state department argues that such a designation would only duplicate the current sanctions imposed on Russia. Individuals would also be able to sue Russia in US courts.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow considers the recent statement by Washington that it is mulling the addition of Russia to the list of state sponsors of terrorism as a “propaganda move.”

The Russia-Ukraine war, which started on Feb. 24, has drawn international outrage, with the EU, US, and UK, among others, implementing tough sanctions against Moscow.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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