DHAKA: Russia was suspended from the parliamentary assembly of European human rights watchdog the Council of Europe in protest at Moscow’s behaviour towards Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea.

The 18 Russian parliamentarians who were suspended will not be able to vote in the 318-head assembly, have representation in its main committees or take part in its election observation missions.

But the body, whose members come from 47 European states, stopped short of withdrawing their rights for good, arguing that would not help efforts to resolve the biggest crisis between the West and Russia since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

‘The most powerful weapon of parliamentarians is dialogue,’ said Stefan Schennach, an Austrian Socialist who argued in favour of a limited suspension, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 0531 HRS, APR 11, 2014