Biodiversity conservation must not become a hostage to political disagreements. Russian presidential aide Ruslan Edelgeriyev made the statement on October 16 in Yerevan at the Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity held as part of COP17.

Since protecting biodiversity was a shared responsibility, international cooperation in this area should be free from politicization and unfair competition, he said.

Edelgeriyev stressed that only open collaboration among scientists and experts could deliver tangible results.

According to him, any agreements on access to biodiversity and the sharing of benefits must respect this principle and be based on a voluntary approach.

He also noted that Russia advocated a non-discriminatory approach to ensuring access to resources and their transparent use. The creation of new structures should not lead to duplication of functions or increased costs, he added.

Edelgeriyev said the Russian delegation was ready to engage in constructive work and seek balanced solutions that would serve the interests of all parties.