Russian parliamentarians on U.S. senate denial to abolish Jackson-Vanik amendment

Mikhail Margelov, head of the international committee of the Russian Federation Council, stated that Moscow was not optimistic about the fact that the famous Jackson-Vanik amendment would be abolished by the U.S. President's visit to Russia. This is how the representative of the Russian upper parliamentary houses commented on the denial of the U.S. Senate majority to withdraw Russia from the effect of this discriminative amendment.

The supporters of George W. Bush in the U.S. Senate initiated the issue of abolishing the amendment, however, senators from the democratic party considered this step to be premature. According to the Russian parliamentarian's estimate, the reason for that is the latest toughening by Moscow of rules of chicken quarters imports from the USA. Thus, the U.S. democrats admitted openly that the Jackson-Vanik amendment protects the interests of U.S. farmers, rather than Russian Jews.

Vice-speaker of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky believes in turn that the U.S. Congress denial to abolish the Jackson-Vanik amendment on the eve of the U.S. President's visit to Russia "testifies to George Bush's weak positions in his native country." In opinion of the famous Russian politician, certain forces in the U.S. Congress "try to spoil relations with Russia."