Putin: Libya and Syria Policies Led to Mali and Algeria

January 26, 2013 • 12:17PM

In his remarks at the presentation of credentials by 19 foreign ambassadors at the Kremlin on Jan. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin again pointed to the tragic consequences of refusing to allow the principle of sovereignty to govern international relations.

"Just look at what is happening in the Middle East and in Africa: the conflict in Syria has been ongoing for almost two years; the turmoil in Libya, accompanied by the uncontrolled proliferation of arms, contributed to the exacerbation of the situation in Mali. The tragic consequences of these events led to the terrorist attacks in Algeria that claimed the lives of civilians, including foreign nationals," Putin said.

That pointed warning was given in the following context, as taken from the transcript of Putin's remarks at eng.Kremlin.ru:
"Russia consistently supports the increasing openness in the world arena, the settlement of existing problems by political and diplomatic means, with full respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and equality of all states.

"I believe that such an approach is particularly relevant at a time when international relations are facing a growing number of challenges and threats. Just look at what is happening in the Middle East and in Africa: the conflict in Syria has been ongoing for almost two years; the turmoil in Libya, accompanied by the uncontrolled proliferation of arms, contributed to the exacerbation of the situation in Mali. The tragic consequences of these events led to the terrorist attacks in Algeria that claimed the lives of civilians, including foreign nationals.

"I would like to stress that in such a difficult situation, Russia will continue to uphold the rule of law and the central role of the United Nations. Our country, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is fully aware of its responsibility for the maintenance of security in the world and is committed to joint efforts with our partners to tackle common challenges and to continue the unifying, positive agenda."