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Russia to use UN and G20 potential to avoid arms race, Lavrov says

Russia will pay special attention to the efforts of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the acting minister stressed

United Nations headquarters in New York EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY

United Nations headquarters in New York

© EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. Moscow aims to use the potential of international organizations such as the UN and the G20 to avoid an arms race, Acting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday during a news conference on the outcomes of Russian diplomacy in 2019.

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"This year, we plan to work on maintaining global security and strategic stability, which includes efforts aimed to avoid an arms race in space and the impermissibility of weaponizing cyberspace," he said.

According to Lavrov, Moscow will use the full potential of the UN, the G20, the CIS, the EAEU, as well as "the potential of BRICS and SCO chairmanships." "We will pay special attention to the efforts of five permanent members of the UN Security Council," the acting minister stressed.

Russia will take all efforts to ensure that the world is not left without any arms control treaties, according to Lavrov.

"We will be firmly striving to ensure that the world is not left without any accords that at least somehow restrain and control armaments, especially nuclear weapons," he said.

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