A resolution by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Europe, which suggests considering the possibility of shutting down the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in Moscow runs directly contrary to the organization’s goals and objectives, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Qazet.az reports.

"We believe that the resolution in question runs directly contrary to the goals and objectives of the WHO, designed to ensure the highest level of health for all of mankind, and undermines the principles of international cooperation in this field," the statement reads.

According to the ministry, Russian Deputy Health Minister Andrey Plutnitsky pointed out at the committee’s session that the humanitarian situation in Ukraine had started to deteriorate in 2014. "It included numerous civilian deaths in Donbass as a result of punitive actions by the Kiev regime, the destruction of social infrastructure facilities, a loss of access to healthcare and consequently, a rise in communicable and non-communicable diseases. The danger of the military biological programs that had been implemented in Ukraine by the US and its allies was highlighted separately," the statement added.

However, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, those who initiated the session insisted on considering a draft resolution, which, apart from "presenting baseless accusations, proposed a set of measures to restrict fruitful cooperation between the WHO and Russia." The Russian delegation was forced to put the document to a vote and it was adopted by a majority of participants.

A document adopted at the May 10 special session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe calls on WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge "to consider temporarily suspending all regional meetings in the Russian Federation, including technical meetings and meetings of experts, as well as conferences and seminars whose composition is set by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, until peaceful resolution of the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine." The resolution also requests the regional director "to safeguard the technical cooperation and assistance provided by the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, including the possible relocation of the aforementioned office to an area outside of the Russian Federation."

The draft resolution was submitted by 38 WHO member states and gained the support of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Israel and Turkey, as well as of EU countries. Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan voted against the document, while Armenia and Kazakhstan abstained.