Russian President Vladimir Putin said that tackling the issue of combating terrorism and efforts to resolve the situation in the Middle East and North Africa require a consolidated and balanced approach.
The Russian president’s address was read out at the Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS - 2017) by Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolay Patrushev.
Putin noted that the agenda of the current conference includes "serious issues that require a balanced and consolidated approach". "These are, above all, the fight against terrorism as a major threat to the global and regional security and stability along with the issues related to the political and diplomatic settlement of numerous conflicts, primarily, in the Middle East and North Africa," TASS cited him as saying.
The President stressed that special attention at the conference should also be paid to countering other, no less important challenges.
Putin emphasized that the conference in Moscow that had become a tradition is known for its busy agenda and authoritative participants representing military agencies, international organizations, scientific and political circles.
"I am confident that open and constructive debates at the forum will provide a good opportunity for the participants to exchange experience and information and expand professional contacts. This direct, fruitful dialogue strengthening partnership is crucial today," Putin concluded.
Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said that the US missile attack on Syria’s Shayrat airbase on April 7 posed a life-threatening danger to Russian military servicemen.
"We consider the missile attack to be a blatant violation of international law. Besides, Washington’s move posed a life-threatening danger to our military servicemen who have been combating terrorism in Syria. In light of such actions we have to take additional measures to ensure the security of our forces," the Russian defense minister added.
Russian Defense Minister said that militants have been joining refugees to leave the Middle East and travel to other countries in order to commit crimes.
"At the same time, militant groups step up their activities. Thousands of civilians flee militant-controlled areas but combatants join refugees to travel to other countries and carry out their criminal plans," Shoigu said.
The Russian defense minister added that terrorism still remained the main threat to global security so it had been decided to consider this issue once again at the Sixth Moscow Conference on International Security.
Nikolai Patrushev stressed that anti-terrorism efforts should not serve as an excuse to pressure sovereign states.
"It is important that the fight against this threat does not become a pretext for pressure on sovereign states as it happens in certain regions of the world," Patrushev said.
He added that, "military intervention in the affairs of states that effectively resist terrorism is inadmissible."
