MOSCOW. June 10 (Interfax) - The Russian State Duma on Friday passed a statement urging the European parliament to drop the practice of double standards.

The statement was prompted by the May 12 resolution of the European parliament on the violation of human rights and democracy in the Russian internal republic of Mari El.

The statement says the European parliament had supported the initiative of Estonian and Finnish MPs and passed the resolution which "quoting some unnamed Russian and international NGOs speaks of the violation of human rights in Mari El."

The resolution gives "an unmotivated negative evaluation of the 2004 elections of the president of the republic, claims there is no freedom of the media in the republic and that Maris cannot receive an education in their native language," the statement says.

After the adoption of the resolution the Duma received numerous letters from public organizations Russia's Ugro-Finnish peoples and individuals expressing indignation with the groundlessness of the resolution.

The Duma pointed out to the violation of the rights and poor protection of interests of ethnic minorities in Latvia and Estonia.

The Duma labeled the resolution as another manifestation of dual standards.

Source: Interfax