Russia Insists on the Necessity to Develop Human Rights of Defense Against Terrorism

In his interview to RIA Novosti on the eve of the official meeting in New York of the UN Security Council at the level of foreign ministers on the anti-terrorist issue Alexander Yakovenko, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow considered it necessary to develop the human right of defense against terrorism.

He explained that he was "not talking about revision of "traditional" human rights but about supplementing this sphere with new content." In the opinion of Moscow, the initiative put forward by Russia at the 57th session of the UN General Assembly to develop under the UN auspices the Code of protection of human rights against terrorism might become an important step in that direction.

The diplomat indicated that "it had to be based on the principle of universality of obligations of all states to ensure protection of people against terrorism and attempts related to it. He pointed out that "Moscow was hopeful to have the initiative supported, and to jointly work on its implementation." According to Yakovenko, Moscow shared the opinion of the UN Secretary General that increased terrorist activity put forward difficult objectives to be resolved by countries." He indicated that "the struggle against terrorism should be waged within the framework of observance of human rights, of strengthening of supremacy of the law and democratic institutions." Yakovenko went on to say that "at the same time a duty of each state was to wage an uncompromising struggle against terrorism which was blatantly violating all basic human rights, including the right to live." The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that "real protection of democratic values, rights and freedoms of a person was absolutely incompatible with support, direct or indirect, granted to bandits who openly violated these principles."