Russia wants stability near its borders; urges CIS partners to jointly assess nuclear-missile threats

"We are strongly interested in having no hot spots and hotbeds of tensions in our vicinity. We want stability near our borders," he said, referring to the situation with Iran's nuclear program.

"This objective can be achieved only through legal, political and diplomatic mechanisms. We are convinced that involving various states or conflicting parties in dialogue will lead to a solution to crises and conflicts. Isolating them is not the right choice," he said.

"The way various events have evolved has shown more than once that involving all parties in dialogue based on equality and mutual respect can produce really positive results. It is absolutely true for the situation surrounding Iran," Lavrov said.

Visiting Azerbaijan Russian Foreign Minister has urged Russia's partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States to launch a joint assessment of nuclear-missile threats facing Europe, Russia and the CIS.

"We have never objected to joint action to create a shield against any threat, if only these efforts are indeed collective and the threats real," Lavrov told students.

"We therefore propose launching a joint assessment of possible nuclear-missile threats to Europe, Russia and our partners in the CIS," Lavrov said. Interfax