Putin says Russia will help Syria against aggression - (Syria Online)
Russia's President, Vladimir Putin stressed Russia's rejection to aggression against Syria and all that might aggravate the crisis there, vowing more support in case of a potential military strike.
Putin was speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the G20 summit held in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
"We will help Syria. We are helping them now. We supply weapons, we cooperate in the economic sphere, and I hope we will cooperate more in the humanitarian sphere ... to provide help for those people - civilians - who are in a difficult situation today," Putin said.
Putin added that a military action cannot be categorized as self-defense, adding ''Since it is outside the Security Council's mandate, the outcomes of our talks yesterday mean that those who want to take matters within their own hands are bypassing international law.''
Putin said that Russia has discussed the situation in Syria at length during the G20 summit, pointing out that ''Russia, China, India and Indonesia-the largest Muslim country-has opposed the strike, and so have Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Italy.''
He added that Pope Francis and the UN Security Council also opposed the strike against Syria.
''The UK House of Commons has opposed the strike, and the German chancellor was cautious about it and won't be supporting it.''
The Russian president said polls show that the majority of Western populations oppose a military strike, adding that that using chemical weapons is a provocation by gunmen intended to elicit the support of foreign countries.
''Most of the G20 leaders are opposed to a military action against Syria...using military force against a sovereign country is impermissible,'' Putin said.
He saw that instability in the Middle East does not bode well for the global economy as it would send prices of energy resources soaring, which would harm the development of global economy.
Mexico president rejects any military action against Syria
The Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, expressed his country's rejection of a US aggression against Syria.
During the meetings of the G20 summit in Petersburg on Friday, President Nieto said that solving the crisis in Syria is the responsibility of the UN Security Council.
Ushakov: Putin and Obama discussed Syrian file on sidelines of G20 Summit
Meanwhile, Putin's Assistant Yuri Ushakov stressed that the Russian President and his US counterpart Barack Obama held a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit and the Syrian file overshadowed the discussions.
Russia Today website quoted Ushakov as saying that "the differences are still there", adding that the two presidents agreed to continue contacts on the issues related to Syria through the Russian and U.S. foreign ministries.
Lavrov: Use of force against Syria without UNSC approval thwarts political solution efforts
A clear understanding is taking shape among many responsible states that the use of force, bypassing the Security Council, would essentially put an end to efforts to reach a political settlement and convene an international conference, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said. Lavrov was speaking during a meeting with the UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi on Friday.
He added that all possible efforts must be exerted to prevent the chances of the military action substituting the peaceful solution.
Lavrov said that the results of investigations into an alleged use of chemical weapons will be announced after taking into consideration all scientific criteria.
Brahimi said that military action against Syria would be illegal without U.N. Security Council approval and would undermine the chances for a political solution to the conflict.
Russia's President, Vladimir Putin stressed Russia's rejection to aggression against Syria and all that might aggravate the crisis there, vowing more support in case of a potential military strike.
Putin was speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the G20 summit held in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
"We will help Syria. We are helping them now. We supply weapons, we cooperate in the economic sphere, and I hope we will cooperate more in the humanitarian sphere ... to provide help for those people - civilians - who are in a difficult situation today," Putin said.
Putin added that a military action cannot be categorized as self-defense, adding ''Since it is outside the Security Council's mandate, the outcomes of our talks yesterday mean that those who want to take matters within their own hands are bypassing international law.''
Putin said that Russia has discussed the situation in Syria at length during the G20 summit, pointing out that ''Russia, China, India and Indonesia-the largest Muslim country-has opposed the strike, and so have Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Italy.''
He added that Pope Francis and the UN Security Council also opposed the strike against Syria.
''The UK House of Commons has opposed the strike, and the German chancellor was cautious about it and won't be supporting it.''
The Russian president said polls show that the majority of Western populations oppose a military strike, adding that that using chemical weapons is a provocation by gunmen intended to elicit the support of foreign countries.
''Most of the G20 leaders are opposed to a military action against Syria...using military force against a sovereign country is impermissible,'' Putin said.
He saw that instability in the Middle East does not bode well for the global economy as it would send prices of energy resources soaring, which would harm the development of global economy.
Mexico president rejects any military action against Syria
The Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, expressed his country's rejection of a US aggression against Syria.
During the meetings of the G20 summit in Petersburg on Friday, President Nieto said that solving the crisis in Syria is the responsibility of the UN Security Council.
Ushakov: Putin and Obama discussed Syrian file on sidelines of G20 Summit
Meanwhile, Putin's Assistant Yuri Ushakov stressed that the Russian President and his US counterpart Barack Obama held a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit and the Syrian file overshadowed the discussions.
Russia Today website quoted Ushakov as saying that "the differences are still there", adding that the two presidents agreed to continue contacts on the issues related to Syria through the Russian and U.S. foreign ministries.
Lavrov: Use of force against Syria without UNSC approval thwarts political solution efforts
A clear understanding is taking shape among many responsible states that the use of force, bypassing the Security Council, would essentially put an end to efforts to reach a political settlement and convene an international conference, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said. Lavrov was speaking during a meeting with the UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi on Friday.
He added that all possible efforts must be exerted to prevent the chances of the military action substituting the peaceful solution.
Lavrov said that the results of investigations into an alleged use of chemical weapons will be announced after taking into consideration all scientific criteria.
Brahimi said that military action against Syria would be illegal without U.N. Security Council approval and would undermine the chances for a political solution to the conflict.