ZAKHAROVA: MOSCOW FIGHTS FOR UN SURVIVAL AND ITS ABILITY TO RESPOND TO MODERN CHALLENGES

MOSCOW, SEPTEMBER 30 /SRNA - RIA Novosti/ - Russia is fighting to ensure the survival of the UN and to prevent the organization from becoming merely a formal institution, but instead remain capable of responding to modern challenges and addressing urgent problems, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"We are fighting for the organization to survive, and not merely as a formal body where international officials can find employment, but so that it can respond to the challenges of our time and address urgent problems," Zakharova told Sputnik radio.

According to her, maritime piracy is one of the clearest examples showing why the UN is needed.

"If international law were to cease to apply, the world would be pushed into an abyss of archaism that should remain confined to novels and films," Zakharova stressed.

She noted that if the UN General Assembly rostrum were to cease to exist, dozens of countries would have no opportunity at all to present their positions on the global stage.

"That is why we are fighting for this organization," Zakharova concluded.