UN, December 10. /TASS/. Russia finds the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration an important step in the development of international cooperation. However, it warns against breaching the countries’ sovereignty with regard to this issue, a representative of Russia’s Permanent Mission to the UN informed TASS in the run-up to the meeting in Marrakesh on December 10-11, where the compact is set to be signed.

"Russia, like any other state, has the right not to take note of those provisions of the Global Compact that may come into conflict with its national interests, legislation, as well as the international obligations it upholds," the diplomat said.

"Many countries probably have questions concerning the negotiated text. Russia is not an exception," he added. In particular, despite Moscow’s protests, mentions of a "division of responsibilities" remain, the diplomat explained. "Russia sees the promotion of this controversial concept as an attempt to shift the blame to others, as the current difficult migration situation is, in many ways, a consequence of an irresponsible meddling into the domestic affairs of sovereign countries," the source told TASS.

The Global Compact on Migration consists of 54 paragraphs covering such issues as minimizing the negative factors of migration processes, protection and integration of migrants, as well as finding new ways to provide access to legal migration. This declaration is not a legally binding document.

Earlier, several countries, such as Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Chile, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Slovakia, the USA, Croatia, the Czech Republic, refused to sign the declaration.