VIENNA (Reuters) – Russia’s foreign minister called on Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) countries to strengthen efforts to ensure the safety of the internet on Thursday.
Moscow faces widespread allegations that it interfered in the U.S. presidential election and was behind a wave of destructive global hacking attacks. It has denied any involvement in either.
“We urge concentrating on (the) elaboration and implementation of specific additional confidence building measures in order to secure the cyber security and not to waste breath with unfounded accusations without any fact,” Sergei Lavrov told a meeting of foreign ministers from OSCE countries.
Lavrov also urged member states to consolidate efforts in the fight against drugs in sport, two days after Russia was banned from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it had found evidence of “systematic manipulation” of the anti-doping system.
“We confirm our proposal to establish in the (OSCE) secretariat a separate anti-drug structure,” Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister also said Russia would continue to implement OSCE projects for the training of counter narcotic police officers.
(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; editing by Alexander Smith)
