Press Release on the Outcome of the Russian-French Interagency Consultations on international security in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (Moscow, November 15, 2019)

Unofficial translation

As a follow-up to the agreements reached in Saint-Petersburg in 2018 by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, on November 15, Russian-French Inter-Agency Consultations on international security in the field of ICTs took place in Moscow.

The Russian delegation was headed by Andrei Krutskikh, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security, Ambassador-at-Large. The French delegation was led by Henri Verdier, Ambassador for Digital Affairs, MFA of France.

The Russian delegation comprised representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prosecutor-General's Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice, Federal Security Service, Federal Guard Service, Federal Service for Technical and Export Control, Investigative Committee, and the Staff of Security Council of the Russian Federation. The French side was represented by the leadership of the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI) and experts from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the French Embassy in Moscow.

The Russian side received with interest the detailed presentation of the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace, an initiative launched in 2018 by the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, made by the French side.

The participants in the consultations exchanged their views on the wide range of issues of common interest related to ensuring international security in the field of ICTs. They stressed the need to develop international cooperation in this domain, first of all within the framework of the United Nations (UN). The sides noted the importance of ensuring the uninterruptedness and continuity of the negotiation process on international security in the field of ICTs under the auspices of the UN, both within the Open-Ended Working Group and the Group of Governmental Experts, and reaffirmed the desire to contribute to the development of rules of responsible behavior of States in the digital space, consistent with existing international law.

During the consultations, the participants also thoroughly discussed the possibility of developing bilateral practical cooperation between Russia and France in the field of international security in the field of ICTs, including the fight against cybercrime and the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.

It has been agreed to continue bilateral dialogue between Moscow and Paris on international security in the field of ICTs, which would facilitate the rapid resolution of challenges arising in the ICT sphere, including when it comes to responding to computer incidents.