MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. Russia proposes to work out a convention against chemical terrorism, and the majority of the partners have taken an interest in this idea, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Wednesday.
"Regarding the issue of the use of chemical weapons by terrorists, I would like to touch upon the Russian idea to work out a convention against chemical terrorism," the diplomat said. "As is known, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov presented at the Geneva conference on disarmament on March 1 a new Russian initiative to counteract terrorism and the use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists."
"It was proposed to the forum participants to start negotiations with the aim of working out an international convention against acts of chemical terrorism," the diplomat said. "The point is to supplement the current counterterrorism instruments of the international community with a new document that would be at the intersection of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and antiterrorism efforts."
"We deem it expedient to begin the development (of this document) at the disarmament conference as it had once coordinated the chemical weapons convention," Zakharova said.
According to her, "Major diplomatic efforts have been exerted over the past month to clarity the Russian initiative." "The first reaction of the majority of our partners can be characterized as rather interested," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.