MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry deems as important the decision of the UN General Assembly to convene a conference on the establishment of a zone free of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East in 2019, the ministry reported on Monday in comments on the decision approved on December 22.
"The decision of the UN General Assembly is logical, well-balanced and meets the interests of all Middle East countries," the ministry said. It stressed the importance of its going in line with the earlier reached agreements to this respect - openness and voluntariness of participation in the conference of the region’s states; understanding that any agreements on the issue can be achieved through a free dialogue between the countries of the Middle East and only on the basis of consensus; absence of artificial time frames.
"Russia supported this decision of the UN General Assembly and intends to take part in the conference," the Foreign Ministry said, adding that apart from the Middle East region countries other permanent members of the UN Security Council (the UK, the US, China and France) are expected to participate as well as relevant international organizations," it said.
The ministry welcomed plans to continue the process of negotiations depending on its efficiency, without setting any artificial time frames. "Holding [a conference] with the participation of all Middle East states will encourage positive tendencies within the framework of the review process for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and a favorable atmosphere of the 2020 Review Conference on this key for international security treaty," the Russian Foreign Ministry summed up.
