Putin: Russia’s Syria Stances Based on International Law Principles

MOSCOW- Russia’s steps intended to help settle the Syrian conflict have been “well-judged and reasonable”, and the latest developments surrounding Syria confirm the possibility of resolving any international problems peacefully, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his annual address to the Federal Assembly on Thursday, according to the Voice of Russia.

“In my opinion, it is our shared success that the choice was made on the basis of the fundamental principles of international law, common sense and the logic of peace. At least thus far we have managed to avoid foreign military intervention in Syrian affairs and the spread of the conflict beyond the region,” Putin said.

Russia “made quite a significant contribution to this process,” the president said.

“Our actions have been resolute, well-judged and reasonable. Not a single time we have put either our own interests and security or global security in danger. In my opinion, this is the way a mature and responsible power should act,” Putin said.

“As a result, we and our partners managed to turn the situation there away from war and toward the development of a nationwide Syrian political process and the achievement of civil reconciliation,” the president said.

” Syria reaffirmed the UN’s central role in global politics. As the situation around Syria and around Iran today has shown, any international problem can and should be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, without resorting to military actions, which have no prospects, but only serve to cause denunciation by the majority of countries in the world,” Putin said.

Russia seeks to be a world leader but does not aspire to super-power status

 Russia will be a leader but will not lecture other states on how they should live, President Vladimir Putin said. “We will aspire to be a leader by protecting international law and insisting upon respect for national sovereignty, independence and uniqueness of peoples,” Putin said in his address presented at the Federal Assembly.

“We have always been proud of our country, yet we do not aspire to super-power status, which is understood as a claim to global or regional hegemony. We are not encroaching on anyone’s interests, we are not pushing our patronage on anyone and we are not trying to lecture anyone on how one should live,” he stressed.

Western missile defense system is defensive only in name

The true goals of the missile defense system being built by Western countries do not correspond with its name, the Russian President said.

 “We are perfectly aware that missile defense systems are defensive only in name. In fact, this is a significant component of a strategic offensive potential,” Putin added.

Putin also urged peaceful atomic energy guarantees for Iran.

H.M