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Putin sees it as "an enormous mistake" not to work with Syrian government

Xinhua, September 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday warned here that it would be "an enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government."

Putin made remarks while addressing the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, which opened here Monday morning.

"We think that it is an enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face to face," said Putin. "We should finally acknowledge that no one but President Assad's armed forces and the Kurdish militia are truly fighting the Islamic state and other terrorist organizations in Syria."

Putin said that Russia's approach to Syria had drawn criticism but insisted that this was only because Russia was more honest and frank about its ambitions than its critics.

"I must note that such an honest and frank approach of Russia has recently been used as pretext to accuse it of its growing ambitions as if those who say it have no ambitions at all," he said. "It is not about Russia's ambitions but about the recognition of the fact that we can no longer tolerate the current state of affairs in the world."

Putin also took aim at a proposal put forward by France to limit the use of the veto in the United Nations Security Council.

"The veto right has always been exercised -- by the U.S., the UK, France, China, and Russia alike -- it is absolutely natural for so diverse and representative organization," he said, referring to the five permanent members who have veto power on the UN Security Council.

"When the UN was established its founders did not in the least think that there would always be unanimity," he said. "The mission of the organization is to seek and reach compromises and its strength comes from taking different views and opinions into consideration."

More than 140 heads of state and heads of government are expected to speak at this year's General Debate of the 193-member General Assembly in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Endit