MOSCOW, December 16. /TASS/. A number of Western countries seek to delay cybersecurity negotiations on the United Nations platform, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for International Cybersecurity Cooperation Andrey Krutskikh said on Thursday at the Ninth All-Russia Congress of Political Scientists hosted by the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
"At this very moment, the United Nations is hosting the talks that Russia was promoting. It is a huge diplomatic achievement for us that we eventually came to an agreement and created a UN open-ended group to discuss cybersecurity issues," he pointed out. "Unfortunately, the talks have been stalled for three days because the Western countries - a group of 50 to 60 nations - who showed a different level of enthusiasm when voting against the launch of this negotiation process, are now replacing the issue of talks and a mandate agreed in June by asking who should engage in all these negotiations?"
According to Krutskikh, all the modalities and organizational issues were resolved in June. "A substantive session should have begun three days ago to determine ways to blow off steam and agree on matters of war and peace in relation to cyberspace but in fact, a discussion has been going on for three days as to whether political scientists will be the driving force behind these talks. The process is being stalled," the envoy stressed.
He also emphasized that Russia was one of the first countries to come up with a formula "with multiple stakeholders." "We suggested engaging political scientists, businessmen and researchers but it should be done in a structured fashion based on the relevant competencies so that it’s real cyber talks and not a popular assembly," Krutskikh noted.