Nobody and nothing will stop Russia on the road to strengthening democracy and ensuring human rights and freedoms.

No references to the need to fight terror can be an argument for restricting human rights.

Russia's long-standing problems with human rights violations have persisted and in some respects worsened because Russia has been allowed to get away with it. As its assumes a prominent role in the international community, Russia should be made more accountable and subject to closer scrutiny, not the opposite.

Russia has joined forces with other states that have poor human rights records in opposing efforts to create a more effective U.N. human rights machinery. Many of these countries clearly prefer today's dysfunctional system that allows them to shield one another from criticism.

I am convinced that today terrorism poses the main threat to human rights and freedoms as well as to the sustainable development of states and people,

The global response to global terrorism must not endanger fundamental human rights and freedoms.