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Conflict in Syria

Shoigu urges ASEAN states, their partners to join efforts on Syrian recovery

According to Russia’s Defense Minister, Syrians need food, basic necessities, medical supplies, construction supplies and equipment

SINGAPORE, October 20. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states and their partners to join the humanitarian and recovery mission in Syria.

"Today the country (Syria - TASS) is badly in need of assistance of the global community," he addressed the fifth council of defense ministers of ASEAN member countries and their dialogue partners (ADMM-Plus) on Saturday.

According to Shoigu, Syrians need food, basic necessities, medical supplies, construction supplies and equipment. He also considers it necessary for the country to reconstruct critical infrastructure, as well as clear mines.

The stabilization of the situation in the Middle East concerns the interests of all countries, including members of the Asian-pacific Region, the minister said. "Together we can not only create favorable conditions for making refugees return home and normalize the situation in Syria, but also prevent the revival of the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia - TASS) in the Middle East, meaning prevent its expansion in the Asian-Pacific Region," he stressed.

For doing this, Russia urges the ADMM-Plus countries "to assume antiterrorist measures massively with the central coordinating role of the United Nations and the norms of international law observed, without hidden agendas and double standards," Shoigu said.

He noted that the Asian-Pacific Region countries are already assuming major efforts to tackle terrorism and extremism, and urged to support such initiatives, since "the information about planned terrorist acts provided to partners allows reacting against militants’ plans without delay, depriving them of the opportunity to take out civilians.".

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