MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Although Russia’s stance on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has not changed, attempts are being made to call into question its important role, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

"We think that the treaty has reliably served international security but, certainly, attempts are being made to call into question its significance," Ryabkov said, referring to experts both in Russia and in a number of other countries. "We are working to ensure that the treaty continues to fulfil its role as a supporting pillar in the sphere of non-proliferation and an important element of the remaining links in the arms control system. Our position here has not changed," he assured reporters.

Moscow’s adversaries have been seeking to put Ukraine to the forefront of the agenda of the next NPT Review Conference for which arrangements are currently underway. "We have been resisting" those attempts, the senior Russian diplomat said, adding that "the significance and value of the NPT are hard to overestimate."