In the statement, as reported by the TASS news agency, Russian legislators said, "The State Duma resolutely condemns the decision of Finland's government. Equal political dialogue is impossible in such conditions,"
"Sanctions against Russian parliamentarians and delegations can result in undermining such dialogue with negative consequences for security and political atmosphere on the European continent," the document went on to state.
Lavrov: Finland responsible
The TASS news agency reported later in the day that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov decribed Finland's denial of the visa Naryshkin as being impolite.
"A country hosting an international event fails to meet its commitments. Naturally, it's also a matter of elementary politeness," Lavrov was quoted as saying.
He added that the Russian stance is that the European Union had nothing to do with Finland's decision.
"Finland is hosting the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session not as an EU member but as a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It is exactly in this quality that all the members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly accepted the invitation," the Russian foreign minister explained, according to TASS.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said on Thursday that the row between Finland and Russia over the denial of granting a visa for the speaker of the Duma to attend next week's OSCE summit in Helsinki was an "unfortunate situation."
President Niinistö pointed out that Finland acted according to its own obligations, and according to agreed EU sanctions and travel bans.
