Russian parliament leader blasts proposal to boycott Beijing Olympics

MOSCOW, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- It is "unacceptable" that some foreign lawmakers have called to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said Tuesday.

"It is especially sad to hear the rhetoric of confrontation from colleagues in the parliamentary community," said Matviyenko, head of the upper house of Russia's parliament.

"Such statements contradict the spirit of parliamentarism and the Olympic principles," she stressed.

The senior official expressed confidence that the 2022 Olympics in Beijing will be organized and held at the highest level, taking into account the character of the Chinese people, their dedication and hard work.