Russia Criticizes Double Standard Approach in Fighting Terrorism

According to the Russian Sputnik News Agency, Vladimir Putin made the remarks at the 137th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU) in St. Petersburg.

When commenting on the Russian operation in Syria, the Russian president reiterated his call for creating a united front against terrorism.

"We are confident that it is necessary to fight against terrorism without double standards, without hidden agendas, without the use of radicals for anyone's political interests and, of course, only by joining hands, only together," he said.

Putin said that attempts to interfere in internal affairs of other countries bring "chaos" in the Middle East and increases terrorism.

"Every state has its natural and incontestable right to define its fate on its own, as it is formalized in the UN Charter. Attempts to interfere in the life of sovereign states without understanding and taking into consideration the national features lead only to chaos. Such ill-considered foreign interference has resulted in the destabilization of the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, in the escalation of tensions in the region and the growth of terrorism," he added.

The Russian president called for helping reconstruction of Syria in the post-war era.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.

According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.