MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. France has disregarded Russia’s proposals for the draft resolution on Syria at the UN Security Council, in spite of promises, so as to accuse Russia afterwards of vetoing the document, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Russia Calling forum, Putin said, "They have injected this (France-drafted) resolution to the (UN) Security Council, evidently expecting a veto from us."
"The resolution was not injected for being passed, as our position was well-known and our proposals were not even debated with us, but for getting (Russia’s) veto."
Putin said that he disliked "poking around in that diplomatic linen as it seems appealing on the surface but its odor is sometimes very foul."
Russia, but not France, should feel offended by the situation around the Russian veto.
"Our respected friend, the French foreign minister, came to Moscow and represented the French resolution. Our foreign minister answered that we would not vote against if you took into regard the Russian proposals and considerations on the issue," Putin said, noting the "French minister said: ‘Of course, yes. We don’t want to run up against any veto’."
Putin pointed out that the Russian proposals voiced by Lavrov were concerning UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura’s proposals on the need to withdraw militants from Aleppo. Besides, Russia was opposed to the fact that the blame for developments in Syria had been shouldered on Damascus.
"It was accepted positively by the French side," the president said. "We were expecting further joint constructive work both with France and other members of the UN Security Council."
Following his visit to Moscow, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault headed for Washington.
"The next day (he) went out with Mr. (US Secretary of State John) Kerry, accusing Russia of all mortal sins," Putin said. "So no talks were held with them and nothing was discussed."
The Russian head of state said that it could be explained by their wiliness to "aggravate the situation and whip up anti-Russian hysteria in the subordinate media, deceiving eventually their population and their citizens," as it "has become more meaningful in the run-up to the US presidential race."
"I do not know whether it fits with the interests of European countries or not. But serving the foreign interests, even the foreign political interests of their allies, in this case of the United States, could it be a role for serious politics and for the serious countries which claim to pursue an independent foreign policies and to bear the name of a great power? I do not know," Putin said, underscoring Moscow was set to resolve the Syria crisis with each counterpart.