Credit: By Gary Raynaldo  /  Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy at press conference at UN world headquarters Aug. 8, 2019.

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –    NEW  YORK –  Russia has a plan to secure the strategically important Persian Gulf region  as tensions rise and the area has become a major center of transnational terrorist networks. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy unveiled portions of Moscow’s  “Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf Region” Thursday at a press conference at UN world headquarters in New York.  Russia’s security plan comes as the United States Military pushes for establishment of an  international coalition to monitor and potentially escort vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and some other waterways in the Middle East.  Threats to navigation in the Gulf have become an international concern on the  back  of actions by Iran in response to increased U.S. economic sanctions that have crippled its oil exports. The Persian Gulf region — which includes Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq — contains an estimated 50 percent of the world’s oil reserves and thus plays a strategic geopolitical role.  Russia’s Gulf Security Concept was distributed as an official document to the UN Security Council.

“Russia believes that the idea of establishing a security system in the Gulf area might be essential for consolidating political and diplomatic efforts in this region,” according to a excerpt from the Security Concept plan.

“We think that all state holders interested in eliminating the hotbed of extremism and terrorism in the Middle East should be consolidated in a single counter-terrorism coalition. There is a need for mobilizing public opinion across Islamic world and other countries. The cornerstone is of course our common adherence to International law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. We insist that security system in Gulf area should be universal and comprehensive and based on respect for the interest of all regional and other parties involved.”

Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to UN   Dmitry Polyanskiy quotes from Security Plan

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy at press conference at UN world headquarters Aug. 8, 2019 speaks on security concerns in the Persian Gulf region. 

According to Russia’s proposal, practical work to launch the  security system development in the Gulf area can be initiated through bilateral and multilateral consultations among stakeholders, including regional and extra-regional states, the UN Security Council, the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, an the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.  It would also include signing agreements on arms control, establishment of demilitarized zones, prohibition of destabilizing accumulation of conventional weapons, including missile defense weapons; conclude agreements on combat against transnational terrorism, illicit trafficking in arms and illegal migration, drug trafficking and organized crime; and take steps to transform the region into a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy at press conference at UN world headquarters Aug. 8, 2019 on Security Concept for Persian Gulf region. 

“Russia is ready to collaborate with all stakeholders in order to implement these and other constructive proposals with a view to ensuring durable security in the Gulf.”

-Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation