Statement by Mr. Artur Lyukmanov, Director of the Department of International Information Security of the MFA of Russia, at the Fifth Session of the UN open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of ICTs 2021-2025
Mr.Chair,
Dear Colleagues,
We would like to deliver a statement on behalf of Mr.Artur Lyukmanov, Head of the Russian delegation at the fifth session of the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), Director of the Department of International Information Security of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is unable to participate in in-person meetings of the OEWG due to the systematic refusals by the US authorities to issue him a visa.
“I would like to greet all the participants of the fifth session of the OEWG on security of and in the use of ICTs 2021-2025. The Group is approaching the equator of its activities. It is crucial that by this landmark, thanks to the efforts of the majority of States, Mr.Chair B.Gafoor and the UN Secretariat, we have almost managed to achieve a first practical result. I refer to the establishment of an intergovernmental directory of Points of Contacts (PoCs). The launch of this mechanism under the UN auspices will – for the first time in history – allow the competent authorities of all countries to cooperate in order to prevent computer attacks/incidents and mitigate their consequences, share experience and strengthen mutual trust, build up expertise. The latter is especially important for developing countries that lack experts on ICT-security.
We are convinced that – if established – the PoCs Directory will become a cornerstone that will set groundwork for further agreements on all aspects of the mandate. Russia believes that the main efforts should be directed at the development of a universal legally binding instrument in the ICT-realm. At the meeting of the OEWG in March we presented to the UN Member States a prototype of such a document in the form of a concept of a convention on ensuring international information security. In May, together with Belarus, DPRK, Nicaragua, Syria and Venezuela, we submitted it as an official document of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. The concept is aimed primarily at ensuring prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts in the digital environment, creating conditions for the protection of all countries in the face of modern threats to information security, as well as building capacities of developing countries. Our initiative is based on the principles of the sovereign equality of States and non-interference in their internal affairs.
A number of States fear the development of a binding treaty on ensuring international information security like the plague, they advocate for the exclusively voluntary nature of rules, norms and principles of responsible behavior of States. Building on these non-binding norms, they expect to take on the role of arbitrators and, in the best traditions of Orwell’s ministries of truth and peace, to appoint those responsible for illegal use of ICTs on a “highly likely” basis. Notwithstanding the fact that these pseudo-defenders of order are actively engaged in the militarization of the digital sphere and use ICTs for offensive purposes.
Against this background, the true intentions of the authors of the Programme of Action (PoA) to advance responsible behavior in the field of ICTs are clear: namely, to create, under the pretext of norms implementation, a tribunal to prosecute the “undesirable” States. It is no coincidence that since the idea of the PoA emerged, no practical proposals have been made on its content, including capacity-building and working modalities. It is also obvious that the initiative is being promoted to spite the OEWG, bypassing the preferences of the UN Member States majority on a universal negotiation format on international information security.
In conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to a flagrant violation by the US of its obligations to host the UN Headquarters. The administration once again rudely, without any explanation, refused to issue visas to members of the Russian delegation from the competent agencies. Heads of our delegations and representatives of the Russian non-governmental organizations accredited to the OEWG have previously faced a similar situation. In our view, this policy lacks common sense and is hostile not only to Russia, but also to all members of the OEWG, as well as to the Group’s Chair. By blocking the participation of certain negotiators in the meetings in New York, the US further discredits itself as a country that abuses its status of a host to the UN Headquarters”.
Thank you for attention.
