France Denies Russian Delegation Participation in UNESCO General Conference

France has disrupted the participation of the Russian delegation in the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris. This was stated by Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry. She noted, “The systematic failure of France to fulfill its obligations regarding the issuance of visas to representatives of the Russian Federation has become evident. In recent months, several Russian representatives have been inexplicably denied the opportunity to attend international events held in Paris.”

Zakharova emphasized that due to the late issuance of her visa, the responsible secretary of the committee, Tatyana Dovgalyenka, was also unable to attend the meeting. She stated, “We view the violation of the provisions of this document by Paris as arbitrary, disregarding established international legal norms. We urge Director-General Audrey Azoulay to decisively intervene in the situation and take effective measures to ensure France fulfills its commitments.”