"Russia and Venezuela will boost the development of multilateral approaches to the achievement of practical results in the spheres of disarmament and non-proliferation," reads the joint statement issued by Russian and Venezuelan Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hugo Chavez following the Friday talks in the Kremlin.
"Our countries confirm that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction threatens peace and international security," the document says.
"In this connection we are resolute to develop cooperation within the UN framework, in particular, on the prevention of WMD proliferation, and point out the necessity of total implementation of resolution 1540 of the UN Security Council," the statement reads. This resolution is aimed against the possession of weapons of mass destruction by non-governmental structures, above all, terrorists.
Russia and Venezuela confirm the importance of strict and total implementation of the basic international agreement in the spheres of disarmament and non-proliferation, in particular, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction. Moreover, the sides come out for coming into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The above-mentioned documents are the basic instruments of international non-proliferation regimes.
"Russia and Venezuela assign priority to the success of the 2005 conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," the statement reads.
"We come out for further multilateral talks aimed at the formation of a control mechanism in order to promote the Convention on the Prohibition of Bacteriological Weapons," the joint statement emphasizes.
Russia and Venezuela agreed to boost joint fight against terrorism, illegal drug and arms trafficking and money laundering.
"Proceeding from the necessity to elaborate a global strategy against new challenges and threats within the UN framework, we agreed to boost our cooperation at international forums against terrorism and transnational organized crime including illegal drug and arms trafficking, corruption, money laundering and slave trade," reads the statement following the talks of the Russian and Venezuelan leaders.
