MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. The European Union’s reaction to Russia’s actions in Syria is cautious but not negative. Brussels recognizes the need for concerted effort to combat terrorism, Russia’s Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said on Friday.
"The response came yesterday, when High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini made a statement — cautious, evasive, neutral, but, in any case, not negative. It recognizes the need for joining forces for the fight against international terrorism, including with Islamic State," the diplomat said. The diplomat noted that the European Union "was not a military bloc and did not play any independent role in the war effort, whether in Syria or anywhere else."
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"I think today the majority of not only Europeans but also the governments of the European countries realize that really broad international effort is needed for the fight against the terrorist evil. It is not a matter of Syria. We know only too well that Islamic State (IS) operates in Iraq, and not only there," the Russian ambassador noted. "According to the latest reports, there are signs of the IS presence in Libya, in some other countries. For example, in the Libyan city of Sirte they used to write on the walls 'We will come soon,' and now they write 'We are here' — and black flags." So, this terrorist infection spreads very quickly, and this problem cannot be solved without joining forces," Chizhov said.
"We continue to stress, including here in the European Union, that this effort should be carried out in strict compliance with international law. What the US-led coalition, which includes France, does now is on the wrong side of international law, as our partners put it," he said.
EU should refrain from ambiguous signals regarding Russia’s actions in Syria
Russia hopes that the EU will refrain from ambiguous signals with regard to Russia’s actions in Syria, Russian Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told the Rossiya 24 TV channel on Friday.
Concerning the European Union’s stance on the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group and EU’s suspicions expressed with respect to Russia’s actions, he noted that Moscow "at least [hoped] that they [the EU] would refrain from ambiguous signals." "We have never said that everything will boil down to military efforts," the diplomat added. "There will be the political process."
Chizhov added that the settlement process would be "basically inter-Syrian but with the international support." "It is no accident that representatives of various groups of the Syrian opposition and the government gathered in Moscow twice to discuss the further political settlement to the inter-Syrian crisis," he said.