PATRIOT PARK /Moscow Region/, August 15. /TASS/. The United Nations must take the initiative and be proactive in stepping up its efforts in the fight against terrorism without applying any double standards, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security.

"Everyone should draw lessons from the tragic consequences of the wars that have been unleashed by the United States and its allies, and we believe it is important that the United Nations - which has somehow kept a low profile on this issue recently - take the initiative here and intensify its efforts in the area of counterterrorism without applying any double standards," Lavrov said.

Moreover, the Russian foreign minister continued, the problem of military-use biological research activities has become particularly relevant today among the myriad challenges to global security.

"First of all, it regards the sphere of facts concerning the uncontrolled military-biological activities of the United States, as well as a number of its allies, in various regions around the world, and this is what our Defense Ministry has been reporting on in detail on a regular basis," Lavrov said.

"These activities contravene obligations under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention [BTWC], and it is crucial to enhance the Convention as soon as possible by establishing a legally binding, transparent mechanism within its framework confirming the implementation of programs carried out by participating countries," Russia’s top diplomat added.

The 11th Moscow Conference on International Security is running on the premises of the Army-2023 International Military-Technical Forum.

The Army-2023 International Military-Technical Forum is being held at the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center, the Alabino training ground and the Kubinka airfield outside Moscow on August 14-20. Over 60 countries have confirmed the participation of their official military delegations in the forum.

The forum’s scientific and business program includes over 300 events focusing on the development of Russia’s armed forces and its defense industry and international military-technical cooperation, taking into account present-day realities. Access to the forum and events under the scientific and business program is reserved for industry specialists and foreign delegations on August 15-17. The event will be open to the general public on August 18-20. TASS is the forum’s strategic media partner.