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No comment from Kremlin on newly-created Islamic coalition

The Islamic coalition created under the leadership of Saudi Arabia incorporates 34 states including Jordan, the UAE, Pakistan, Bahrain, Turkey, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Nigeria
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov Mikhail Metzel/TASS
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov
© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. The Kremlin will refrain from making any comments regarding the emergence of a newly-founded Islamic coalition, but at the same time it believes that any step to pool efforts in the struggle against terrorism is positive, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"It will take some time to analyze this decision," he said. "We don’t have detailed information at this point. We need to see who entered the coalition, what general goals are declared and in what way terrorism will be resisted."

"Hypothetically speaking, any move to present a common front in the struggle with different manifestations of extremism is positive, but one has to know the specifics before making any comments," Peskov said.

The Islamic coalition created under the leadership of Saudi Arabia incorporates 34 states. Apart from Saudi Arabia itself there are also Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Bahrain, Turkey, Tunisia, Sudan, Somalia, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, Nigeria and Yemen. A dozen other Islamic states, including Indonesia, came out in support of that association.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman al Saud has said the coalition would be fighting against any terrorist organizations that constitute a threat, including the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia). He promised that the alliance would be coordinating operations with the leading powers and international organizations.