"If somebody wants Russia to be a reliable and predictable trade partner, a dialogue needs to be established on export control with other countries, and on common standards in this area, with due respect for our interests," Sergei Ivanov told a session of the commission for export control.
The commission focused on implementing a complex program on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery vehicles, and on counteraction to a biological threat.
Ivanov, also a deputy prime minister, said WMD non-proliferation and export control are areas where the interests of many countries coincide, and which require joint efforts.
"We have a common goal, that of putting up a reliable barrier to the proliferation of WMD and relevant technologies," he said. "This task is a priority of our government policy, an essential element of which is cooperation with other nations."
He also said that export control was an integral part of international economic relations, which were crucial in developing mutually beneficial technological ties.
