KUALA LUMPUR, November 22. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday he was highly appreciative of Russia’s role in the fight against terrorism conducted jointly with the United States.
The UN chief said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev he appreciated highly the leading role of Russia, which was working jointly with the United States to resolve the root causes lying at the basis of terrorism.
The UN chief noted the deteriorating security and social situation in Syria as a cause for terrorism.
The recent initiatives by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry have given a strong impetus to finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis, the UN chief said.
Ban Ki-moon said he hoped that Russia would demonstrate solidarity in this issue while working with other UN Security Council members.
Russia can play leading role in fight against Islamic State
The world should unite to give a response to the Islamic State and Russia can play a leading role in this fight, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.
According to the UN chief, the world needs to unite to demonstrate global solidarity and give a response to this common enemy - the Islamic State and other terrorist groupings.
Ban Ki-moon said he expected Russia to play a leading role in this fight.
The United Nations is ready to work with UN member states, including with Russia, to fight against the Islamic State, Ban Ki-moon said.
Early next year, the UN is set to submit a comprehensive plan of actions to fight against violent extremism, Ban Ki-moon said, adding he counted on Russia’s strong support.
UN chief expresses condolences over Russian citizens’ death aboard plane blown up by terrorists
KUALA LUMPUR, November 22. /TASS/. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed condolences to Russia on Sunday over the death of Russian nationals aboard the plane blown up by terrorists over the Sinai Peninsula.
The UN chief said he would like to express sincere condolences to Russia. He said he was sympathizing with the Russian people over the tragedy that had claimed the lives of many Russian citizens as a result of the air crash over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.
These people have fallen victim to terrorists and the world has become a target of terrorist attacks. No political ideology, no grievances can be used to justify this horrible act, the UN Secretary-General said.
The A321 airliner crash over the Sinai Peninsula became a major air accident in the history of world aviation.
Russian Kogalymavia’s A321 plane, en-route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, crashed in the early morning of October 31 just 23 minutes after its takeoff. The disaster site is 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the administrative center of North Sinai Governorate, the city of Al-Arish.
Flight 9268 carried 217 passengers and seven crewmembers and they were all officially announced dead following the tragic accident. Most passengers were Russian nationals. Among the passengers onboard were also four Ukrainian citizens and one Belarusian national.
Russia’s Federal Security Service Chief Alexander Bortnikov reported to President Vladimir Putin on November 17 that the airliner crash had been caused by a bomb with up to 1 kg in TNT equivalent planted on the plane.