Former President of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, pointed out that the end of the Cold War had led to many changes in international relations without making the system as a whole any more stable. In his opinion, the emerging problems and international crises are directly linked to crises and ethnic tensions. Unfortunately, the changes that have occurred have not been utilized to overcome existing political imbalances but instead have been used to further nationalistic goals and purposes. Gorbachev also discussed the issue of nuclear weapons, encouraging the international community to exert great effort in order to rid the world of nuclear weapons in the 21st century. He also emphasized the significant interest Russia has in the Gulf region, and accentuated points such as the need to preserve the demographic balance of the world and to rationalize the utilization of the world’s natural resources.