Press Release on the article in “Le Temps”

With regard to the article by Mr. Sylvian Besson published in “Le Temps” on the 7^th of October 2018 over the situation in the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO), the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva would like to state the following.

The Russian side has been informed of the situation in the Secretariat of the International Civil Defense Organization, including the issues mentioned in the article. Our position is that it is the prerogative of the ICDO governing bodies, the General Assembly and the Executive Council, to decide on substance. The Russian Federation will support any and all their relevant actions, including urgent ones, for ensuring the transparency and credibility of the ICDO, and has communicated already this to Dr. Vladimir Kuvshinov.

In this respect the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva requests the editorship of “Le Temps” to publish an erratum accompanied by an appropriate apology for spreading misleading information.