MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. Moscow is calling for the development of international legal instruments to prevent and peacefully resolve interstate conflicts in the information space, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov said.

He noted that one of the most important achievements in recent years was the development, at Russia's initiative, of the UN Convention against Cybercrime, which became "the first universal treaty in the digital sphere." "The document, designed to establish effective law enforcement cooperation in combating hackers and online fraudsters, has already been signed by 81 countries, including Russia," Alimov said.

"The next logical step, in our view, should be the development of international legal instruments covering other aspects of international information security, aimed primarily at preventing and peacefully resolving interstate conflicts in the information space," the Russian deputy foreign minister said at the 20th International Forum Partnership of State Authorities, Civil Society and the Business Community in Ensuring International Information Security.

Alimov added that Russia plans to complete ratification procedures for the UN Convention against Cybercrime "as soon as possible."

"We know that many of our partners are doing similar work. We call on other countries to join the document and to actively engage in negotiations on expanding the scope of the Convention, including to cover crimes of a terrorist and extremist nature," the diplomat stressed.

Alimov also said that, as regards developing a common international set of instruments to regulate security in the information space, Russia "intends to hold a substantive discussion on the issue within the UN Global Mechanism on ICTs in the Context of International Security launched this year."

"Importantly, the number of countries supporting this approach continues to grow," Alimov concluded.