Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

On March 22 Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yuri Fedotov received a group of diplomats accredited in Moscow: Ambassadors Gianfranco Facco Bonetti of Italy, Luciano Joublanc of Mexico, Iftikar Murshed of Pakistan, Kurtulus Taskent of Turkey and the Charges d'Affaires ad interim of Spain, the Republic of Korea, Argentina and Colombia.

The main topic of the conversation was UN reform. The representatives of the above states affirmed their common stand in favor of enlarging the UN Security Council only in the category of nonpermanent members, and laid the main emphasis on the necessity to achieve consensus on this matter in the name of the unity of the UN member states.

There was demonstrated on the Russian side openness to different proposals aimed at increasing the representativeness of the Security Council on condition that its compactness and efficiency will be ensured and that all decisions on the reform of this body will be taken on the basis of the broadest possible agreement of the UN members. It was noted that the UN Secretary General's proposals in the report submitted by him on March 21 are in the same vein.

Russia is ready to participate actively in discussing this document, which can be a weighty basis for the decisions of Summit 2005, scheduled for the fall of this year as part of the anniversary 60th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

March 22, 2005