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Russia’s idea of convention against chemical terrorism winning more supporters ― diplomat

"A global and comprehensive approach is needed," Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said
Russian envoy to UN Vitaly Churkin EPA/JASON SZENES
Russian envoy to UN Vitaly Churkin
© EPA/JASON SZENES

UNITED NATIONS, December 15. /TASS/. Russia’s initiative oN developing an international convention to counter international chemical and biological terrorism is winning stronger support, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said on Thursday.

He said that in the context of the use of chemical weapons by Islamic State militants and other armed groups and their access to chemical weapons production infrastructure, this threat "is gaining a bigger scale and trans-border character."

"The task of enhancing efforts against terrorist attacks is so topical that the instruments of Resolution 1540, as well as of other resolutions focused on concrete tasks are obviously not enough. A global and comprehensive approach is needed," Churkin said at a Security Council meeting dedicated to the implementation of Resolution 1540.

"Being guided by these considerations," Russia came out with an initiative to draft an international convention to counter acts of chemical and biological terrorism at a disarmament conference in Geneva in March 2016. "We note with satisfaction that this initiative is winning more and more supporters. We urge partners who are still undecided on that matter to study the Russian initiative thoroughly and react to it positively," he said.