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Russian diplomat criticizes Ban Ki-moon for turning blind eye to terrorism in Syria

A Russian diplomat is surprised that the UN Secretary General makes 'no mention about the terrorist organizations whatsoever - neither Jebhat al-Nusra nor the Islamic State'

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, archive

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin

© AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, archive

UNITED NATIONS, October 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has strongly criticized the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who had made no mention about the presence of terrorist organizations Jebhat al-Nusra and Islamic State (both banned in Russia) in Syria in his speech at the meeting devoted to the issue.

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"What is happening in this room makes us really puzzled. How comes that when speaking about the situation in Syria, about the toughest humanitarian situation there, the UN Secretary General makes no mention about the terrorist organizations whatsoever - neither Jebhat al-Nusra nor the Islamic State? Is tackling terrorism not one of the main goals of the United Nations?" Churkin said.

Earlier speaking at the informal meeting of the UN General Assembly Ban Ki-moon welcomed the unilateral pause in Aleppo bombing announced by Russia, and said that the pause helped implement the medial evacuation plan. Secretary General also said as "the conflict continues to reach new and awful depths", "the results have been horrific." "Nearly 500 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 injured. More than a quarter of all deaths are children," Ban Ki-moon said.

Russia’s envoy mentioned the Resolutions of the UN Security Council 2249 and 2254, which require countries "to liquidate the safe location that terrorists had created on major parts of the Syrian territory." "In this respect I have a question whether Secretary General takes into account these Resolutions of the Security Council when he speaks about Syria?" Churkin said.

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