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Putin calls for return to basic values

He described current times as “a renaissance of traditional religions

KISLOVODSK, January 23 (Itar-Tass) —— Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for a return to basic values but without driving oneself into medieval times.

He described current times as “a renaissance of traditional religions”.

“All these religions are based on traditional basic values, moral and ethical. Spiritual leaders, too, often lose their bearings. They think that the number one benchmark is over there. But there is a struggle going on there for the development of Islam. So it would be preposterous to go back and retreat further. We need to raise moral values, rather than drive ourselves into medieval times,” Putin said at the Forum of the Peoples of South Russia on Monday, January 23.

He recalled Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir’s presentation at the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. “He took the floor and said: What are we doing? Why do we suppress our women? Why do we make them wear the hijab and do not let them get an education? We kill ourselves,” Putin quoted him as saying.

“I want to be heard by those who make these decisions. I quoted Mahathir at random. But such are the realities of the Islamic world today. And he knew what he was saying,” Putin said.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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