Russia's new UN envoy: World faces 'unprecedented threats'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Russia's new envoy to the United Nations has taken up his post saying that the world is being confronted by "unprecedented threats and challenges" and Moscow is committed to human rights.

Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia presented his credentials to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday. He said that as a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia "will continue contributing constructively to addressing those challenges together with the international community."

Guterres stressed the importance of "effective cooperation" between the U.N. and Russia. He praised Nebenzia's predecessor, Vitaly Churkin, who died in February, as a "brilliant" diplomat.

Nebenzia later told a General Assembly meeting on terrorism that the world needs to work together against extremists and extremist groups, especially "foreign terrorist fighters."