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RUSSIA CONCERNED OVER WMD SPREAD POSSIBILITY

RIA NOvosti

MOSCOW, February 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is concerned over the possibility of spreading weapons of mass destruction at the expense of the threshold states and terrorists gaining access.

This is said in the commentary of Alexander Yakovenko, official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry on the statement of the United States Secretary General Kofi Annan about the "untrammeled increase" in the number of states having nuclear weapons.

Mr.Alexander Yakovenko noted that Russia "will take an active part in the review conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty member states upcoming in May".

"We think it important that the conference confirm the importance of this Treaty in the present-day conditions for strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime, discuss possible steps to be taken in case of countries seceding from the Treaty or breach of clauses of this crucial international document", the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

He said: "Russia was among the initiators of adopting resolution 1540 of the UN Security Council on the struggle against the black market of weapons of mass destruction, which creates additional conditions for strengthening their nonproliferation regimes. One is the formation by states of efficient national export-control systems and adoption of legislations intending criminal responsibility for actions countering the goals of the said resolution".

"Implementation of this UN Security Council's document is gaining momentum. The established Counterspread Committee is actively unfolding work and is called upon to play a significant role in this sphere", the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.