Moscow ready to resume operation of EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee - Kosachyov

MOSCOW - Federation Council Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachyov has called for resuming the activity of the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and said Moscow is ready to do so.

"Of course, the activity of the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee should be resumed. Its freeze has brought no results but an increased deficiency of mutual understanding. Russia is ready for this kind of cooperation," Kosachyov wrote on Facebook in his comments on the European Parliament election.

He added that Russia would be waiting for messages from the new European Parliament.

In the opinion of Kosachyov, anti-Russian feelings in the European Parliament might subside after the election. The sides have things to discuss in the areas of ecology, migration, and arms control, he added.

"There will be practically no change in the European Union. This is not a revolution, let alone a revolt," Kosachyov said.

Kosachyov called for taking a closer look at the new correlation of forces in the new European Parliament. "We may hope for a certain weakening of the existent Russophobic consensus in the European parliament and strengthening of more sober-minded forces," he said.

He also indicated new topics of dialogue with the European Parliament, in addition to energy and regional conflicts.

"There are issues, which at least equally concern European voters, such as ecology. I think that an agenda Russia could offer the EU should be considered. This applies to some other areas (such as migration, arms control, cyberspace, etc.)," Kosachyov said.