Russia criticizes US report on human rights
Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Monday criticized the US 2012 report on human rights and accused it of applying double standards. Russia’s Foreign Envoy for Human Rights, Democracy, and Supremacy of Law Sergei Dolgov, said that Russia believed the 2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices had slanted the humanitarian and human rights topics in favor of Washington's own political interests. Dolgov said the report suffers from the same shortcomings as previous similar reports, adding that the report lacked sources to back up its conclusions, including the Russia chapter. He stressed that no country was immune to problems in the human rights sphere, the US being no exception. Dolgov said Moscow expected a more objective and balanced approach towards the US in respect of human rights issues, and that Russia was ready for an open, constructive, equal, mutually respectful dialogue and cooperation with the US in the field of human rights.