MOSCOW. April 3 (Interfax) - The measures announced by NATO to increase its presence in the Black Sea will not improve the security of either the region or NATO itself, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Wednesday.
"Our positions are clear: any NATO buildup in the Black Sea region is senseless from the military standpoint and will not improve the security of either the region or NATO itself, but will only involve extra military risks," Grushko told journalists in reply to a question from Interfax.
Russia is convinced that it is the Black Sea countries themselves that should bear responsibility for security in the region, he said.
"There are relevant mechanisms for this, and if everyone displays goodwill, this region should remain one of peace and cooperation," Grushko said.
Russia assumes that the Montreux Convention adopted in order to rule out the militarization of the Black Sea will be strictly abided by, he said.