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Lavrov calls for joint struggle against terrorism putting aside ambitions and differences

Russia's foreign minister also believes the United Nations should play the central coordinating role in these processes
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Valery Sharifulin/TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, February 28 /TASS/. Russia wants to develop interaction with Algeria in fighting terrorism. But counteraction to this threat makes it imperative for the world community to join efforts and give up "double standards", Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Algerian newspaper L’Expression.

"Terrorism is a global threat, which has become the key priority in ensuring international security. In his speech at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the ISIS [the former name for the Islamic State terrorist group, which is banned in Russia -TASS] and other extremists are desecrating the greatest world religion like Islam and are distorting its true values by their bloody crimes," the Russian foreign minister said.

"A series of bloody terror attacks did not only reveal the barbaric essence of the ideology and practices of the so-called Islamic State but graphically demonstrated that it was impossible to create separate ‘oases of security’ and wall off from turbulent neighboring regions in a contemporary world, which so closely interrelated," Lavrov told the Algerian daily.

Russia's foreign minister is convinced that joining efforts on the basis of international law and giving up double standards was the only way to ensure effective struggle against terrorism. He also believes the United Nations should play the central coordinating role in these processes.

"Today it is necessary to put aside ambitions and differences and unite - without any reservations or preliminary conditions - for the sake of defeating the ISIS and other extremist groups that have challenged the world civilization," Lavrov went on to say.

"This is the keynote of Vladimir Putin’s initiative to form a broad counter-terrorism front. Naturally, civil societies should also join these comprehensive and integrated efforts," the Russian minister added.

"Our states, which know firsthand what a terrorist aggression is, have accumulated great experience in this sphere. We positively assess cooperation, which have been established between specialized agencies in Russia and Algeria.

Lavrov recalled that a bilateral inter-departmental working group for fighting terrorism and organized crime functioned under the auspices of the Russian and Algerian Foreign Ministries. Its 5th meeting was held in Algeria in February 2013.

"We are set to develop further interaction in this sphere. I am convinced that our joint work with the Algerian partners on the anti-terrorist track is supposed to make a useful contribution to the world community’s joint efforts," Lavrov told L’Expression.