Magnitsky List will harm Russia-US relations

Releasing a list of Russian officials suspected of human rights abuses, known as the Magnitsky List, would harm Russia- U.S. relations, Kremlin said Friday. "Publication of any lists, undoubtedly, will highly negatively affect Russia-U.S. relations," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on the eve of a visit to Russia by U.S. National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon. Russian officials included on the Magnitsky List will be denied entry to the U.S. and their U.S. assets will be frozen. The list's final edition is expected to be released by Washington on Friday. However, Peskov said bilateral ties would survive the row over the list, and prospects for further development and growth would continue to exist. Also Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said publication of the Magnitsky List was ill-timed. "The timing was poorly chosen because Donilon comes to Moscow on Monday with (U.S. President Barack) Obama's message," Lavrov told reporters in Switzerland where he is on a visit. The Magnitsky List issue was discussed when Lavrov met U.S. counterpart John Kerry Wednesday on the sidelines of the G8 ministerial meeting in London. Moscow responded to the Magnitsky Act at the end of 2012 by banning U.S. families from adopting Russian orphans.