In a statement, Lavrov said a special committee of the UN General Assembly on Friday wrapped up its work on the project and indicated that the convention, the result of more than eight years of tough diplomatic haggling, was expected to be adopted "in the coming days".

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov told a press briefing that the convention could be adopted in May and could be signed during the UN General Assembly summit in September in New York.

"It is the first international accord within the UN framework which will be passed at Russia's initiative," he added.

"Unlike other anti-terrorist conventions, this document was worked out by the international community to prevent the use of nuclear material by terrorists," he added.

"It aims to protect military and civilian sites from terrorists and prevent the manufacture of crude nuclear devices," Fedotov said.

He said the convention would also make it possible to provide "punishment for crimes linked to acts of nuclear terrorism" and stressed that signatories would pledge to "extradite or try" those responsible for such crimes.