Russian Experts Say Moscow Should Not ‘Overreact’ To Usa’s Magnitskiy Bill

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The so-called Magnitskiy Bill, approved by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 26 June, is designed to replace the Jackson-Vanik amendment as an instrument of influence on Russia, Russian political experts told Interfax, RIA Novosti and One Russia (United Russia) official website on 27 June.

The president of the Institute of Strategic Evaluations, Aleksandr Konovalov, said the adoption of Magnitskiy Bill would go hand in hand with the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik (JV) amendment that remains an obstacle for the US business in Russia.

“Everyone in the USA realizes that the (JV) amendment is getting too outdated, harming US economic interests. The Magnitskiy Bill is a replacement of some sort. Losing one instrument of influence, the (US) Congress aims to have a new one,” he was quoted on One Russia website on 27 June.

The political scientist and Russian MP Vyacheslav Nikonov commented that the bill would most probably be adopted simultaneously with repealing the Jackson-Vanik amendment. Though “the adoption of a harsh sanction such as Magnitskiy Bill would be an unprecedented measure that had not been taken even in the most difficult period of the Cold War”, One Russia website quoted Nikonov as saying.

The symmetrical response

In Nikonov’s opinion, Russia would retaliate with introducing a “Guantanamo list or Viktor But’s list” banning US officials allegedly involved in torture in Guantanamo prison, or in Viktor But’s trial, from entering Russia.

However, such a symmetrical response by Russia would never yield symmetrical damage. “I have not heard that any of them (the US officials) have bank accounts in Russia, or are going to visit us,” the pundit said.

The symmetrical ban on senior US officials, senators and congressmen visiting Russia could be a likely action if Magnitskiy Bill is adopted, agreed a member of the Russian Public Chamber, the director of the Institute of Political Studies, Sergey Markov.

“The level of people who could be affected by the reactive Russian sanctions is higher than that of Russians who were included into the Magnitskiy list. They are congressmen, senators, ” Interfax quoted Markov as saying.

However, it remains a big question how effective Russian sanctions against the US officials would be.

“One has to be a realist. There is a colossal mismatch between the interest of our officials in the United States, the country’s banks and property, and the interests of US officials in Russia,” said the deputy director of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute on the USA and Canada, Viktor Kremenyuk.

“Most Americans, especially those who represent the business community, have not the slightest interest in Russia. They do not see a large market here,” Kremenyuk told RIA Nobosti on 27 June.

Overreaction and dramatization

In Kremenyuk’s opinion, Russia should not overreact.

“The interests of some 100 (Russian) officials would be damaged. Is it a good reason to spoil relations with the States? This is the important question – our relations with the largest and the strongest country.”

Editor-in-chief of “Russia in Global Politics” magazine, Fedor Lukyanov, doubted that adoption of the Magnitskiy Bill would have any practical effect: “The State Department and the White House have shown little interest in adopting the bill. They even tried to reduce a possible damage that the document could cause to the USA.”

Nikolay Zlobin, the director of Russian and Asian programmes at the US World Security Institute, told RIA Novosti on 27 June that Russia should not dramatize the situation around Magnitskiy bill.

“Any country is free to restrict any foreign citizen from stepping on its territory.”

“If it is in Russia’s interest to ban a certain number of the US citizens from coming to Russia, then it should be done because of the national interest and not because of the Magnitskiy list.”

The expert recalled that most senators and congressmen viewed the bill as a genuine attempt to help the Russian leadership to fight corruption. “It will be very difficult to explain to them why Russia takes a symmetrical action in response ,” he added.

“People on Magnitskiy list who are allegedely involved in Magnitskiy’s death have already been denied entry to the USA regardless of the prospects of the Magnitskiy bill being adopted. Congress wants to introduce this law, so Obama does not change his mind on banning ban these people,” the pundit concluded.

“Therefore, Russia has to react calmly, intellegently and delicately instead of bursting with emotions and blowing a small issue into a large-scale drama.” быстрые займы онлайн hairy woman zp-pdl.com https://zp-pdl.com/apply-for-payday-loan-online.php быстрые займы на карту