MOSCOW, September 21 - RAPSI. United Russia has never participated in USAID programs, Senator Andrei Klimov said on Friday.

Klimov is a member of the party's presidium supervising cooperation with international organizations. Earlier, the U.S. Department of State stated that United Russia had taken part in programs financed by USAID, but did not specify the names of the programs.

"It is regrettable that members of the U.S. government use unchecked information in their official comments," Klimov said.

USAID was founded by John F. Kennedy in 1961. It is involved in developing the economy and healthcare, providing urgent humanitarian aid, assisting in the prevention of conflicts, and supporting the development of democracy in over 100 countries.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that officials had told USAID to cease its activity in Russia as of October 1 because the agency had "tried to influence the political processes in the country through its financial grants." Rights advocates have expressed concern over USAID's pullout, and stressed that this will negatively affect a number of NGOs.