Duma may consider sending a delegation to US presidential inauguration

Alexei Mitrofanov, the Duma’s deputy and one of the leaders of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), has suggested at today’s plenary session to form a delegation to be sent to the upcoming inauguration of a new US president. Mr. Mitrofanov congratulated George W. Bush on his victory and insisted that representatives of the Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces factions be included in the Duma delegation hoping they would familialize themselves with how the Americans treated their state symbols, notably, the flag and the anthem, RIA Novosti reports. Gennadi Seleznyov, the Duma’s speaker, commenting on the proposal, emphasized: “one is supposed to be invited to an inauguration, not to be fishing for it.” Anyway, Mr. Mitrofanov’s proposal may well be voted later today.