Russian senior lawmaker notes importance of contacts with US public organizations

MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. Deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, or upper parliament house Konstantin Kosachev, on Monday, met with President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Franklin Graham and stressed the importance of contacts with US public organizations, including religious ones. "Bearing in mind the authority the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association enjoys in the US Congress, Russian senators welcome such meetings as a good possibility to discuss topics concerning the prospects for resuming Russian-US inter-parliamentary contacts and to coordinate positions on the moral and ethical development of society," the Federation Council’s press service quoted Kosachev as saying. The senator noted that the problems of inter-religious relations, non-proliferation of radical ideas, and the preservation of traditional moral principles and values would be the focus of a world conference on inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue due to be held in St. Petersburg in May 2022. He invited the Association’s representatives to take part in preparations for it. Graham, as well as affirming his interest in participating in the St. Petersberg conference, spoke in favor of improving relations between Russia and the United States and welcomed Russia’s principled position in support of traditional moral values. Read more