Roundup: Putin reaffirms openness to cooperation, firm diplomatic stances

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reaffirmed willingness to cooperate with any country, and at the same time Moscow's firm stances on Syria, Russia-Turkey dispute and the Ukraine crisis.

"We are ready and wish to develop our relations with the United States, and the latest visit of the U.S. Secretary of State (John Kerry) showed that the U.S. side is ready to somehow move toward jointly solving issues that can only be solved jointly," Putin said at his annual year-end press conference.

Underscoring that Russia is always open to cooperation and "will work with any president elected by the American people," Putin turned to Russia-Turkey relations that deteriorated recently over the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkish air forces on Nov. 24.

The president again criticized Ankara for not communicating with Russia over the situation on Turkish-Syrian border through existing channels.

"The Turkish goals, if any, were not reached but only worsened the situation," Putin said, adding that so far no attempts were made by the Turkish side to improve worsened bilateral relations.

According to Putin, there are no prospects for Russia to reach any agreement with current leadership of Turkey, accusing Ankara of "hiding behind NATO" after "putting everyone in a very difficult situation."

Russia, Putin said, would not run away from Syria but instead increase its operations there and upgrade self-defense with deployment of new-generation S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft missile systems in Syria's Hmeimim airbase.

On the country's onging airstrikes against targets of Daesh (Islamic State in Arabic) in Syria since Sept. 30, Putin reaffirmed those military missions would continue as long as the Syrian army's ground operations continue.

Stressing that Russian forces deployed in Syria could withdraw in two days, Putin ruled out the possibility of setting up a regular military base in the war-torn country.

"A temporary basing point is possible. In my opinion, there is no need to deepen roots there, get into that situation," he said.

Putin added that Russian air forces in Syria were also backing up Syrian opposition forces in the anti-terror fight.

At the press conference that lasted more than three hours and was televised live, the president dismissed concerns that operations in Syria might be a heavy burden for Russia's budget.

The Russian military was basically undergoing training during operations in Syria, and that's why there is no substantial harm to the budget, Putin said.

Meanwhile, Putin warned of certain countries using Daesh as a pretext to military involvement to protect oil smuggling and illegal crude export.

"(The oil trade) has been unfolding for years. A business was established there, smuggling on huge, industrial scale," Putin said.

"It is very easy to use the Islamic factor and attract cannon fodder there under Islamic slogans, who are only playing a role linked to economic interests."

On anti-terror fight, Putin applauded the recently formed Islamic military alliance against terrorism being led by Saudi Arabia.

"I hope the created alliance will act in common interests, and that we will develop a common approach and rules, and establish effective joint action and effective instruments," Putin said.

Appealing for anti-terror efforts in a more collective way, Putin also noted that there are common grounds to solve the five-year Syrian conflicts.

The proposal of Moscow on settling Syrian crisis shares similarities in key issues with the U.S. plan, including "joint work on the constitution, creation of tools to monitor future early elections, the elections themselves and the acknowledgment of their results," Putin said.

Although Moscow saw the solution to the nearly five-year conflict differently with what was reached at Syrian opposition meeting in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, Russia would strive for decisions on Syrian issues that would satisfy all sides in the conflict, according to Putin.

Russia supports general initiatives of the U.S. on the political process in Syria and the drafting of a UN Security Council resolution on Syria, Putin said when urging all parties to make possible concessions.

Commenting on the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin said that Russia would never agree with the position that anyone has the right to decide who should govern another state.

The president also mentioned the fight against terrorism inside Russia, saying the backbone of terror has already been broken.

Putin pointed out that militants from North Caucasus took advantage of the visa free regime with Turkey and "vanish" inside Russia after entering the territory with Turkish passports.

Currently, Russia suspended the regime as part of restrictive measures imposed on Ankara in response to the downing of Russian Su-24.

On the Ukraine crisis, Putin accused Kiev government of manipulations in implementation of the Minsk agreements on peace process.

"We are ready to negotiate, ready to offer arguments to the people in (Ukraine's) southeast so that some compromise would be found," Putin said as he called for the soonest resolution of the conflict.

Putin said, first of all, it is necessary for the Kiev government to carry out Constitutional reform and enact the special status law in coordination with the Donbass region on a permanent basis. Endit