Russia Retains Its PACE Voting Rights

STRASBOURG -- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has decided to allow Russia to retain its voting rights in the organization, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

The vote not to sanction Russia came today after discussion on a proposal to suspend the powers of Moscow's delegation in PACE. The assembly did not adopt any amendments setting a deadline for Russia to implement the PACE resolution on the five-day Russia-Georgia war in August 2008.

The Russian delegation did not attend the PACE discussion about its voting rights. Last month, Georgia proposed stripping the Russian delegation of its voting rights in PACE over its recognition of the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Seventy-two PACE members signed the proposal.