Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has warned of endless Afghan-type civil war in Syria if President Bashar al-Assad is removed “unconstitutionally”.
“We fear that if the country’s current leadership is removed from power by unconstitutional methods, the opposition and today’s leadership could simply swap their places — the former become the leadership, the latter become the opposition. The civil war will then drag on for who knows how long,” Mr. Putin said.
“We do not want the situation to evolve along the bloody scenario of a civil war that will continue endlessly as in Afghanistan,” Mr. Putin told a joint press conference with visiting Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti.
In a sign that Russia may support a “constitutional” change of power in Syria, Mr. Putin said that “structural changes” in government should come after the fighting stops and constitutional changes are negotiated.
“We believe that the course of action should be the following: halting the violence on both sides, conducting negotiations, searching for a solution, laying down a constitutional basis for the future society, and only then introducing structural changes, not vice versa. Doing things the other way around would only cause chaos,” Mr Putin said.
The Russian leader reiterated his faith in the power of the United Nations.
“The agreements reached in the U.N. on extending the U.N. mission testify to the fact that despite certain differences in defining what is primary and what is secondary, compromises can be found on the U.N. floor and a settlement can be reached among all sides for the common good and the benefit of the Syrian people,” said Mr. Putin.
Keywords: Syria unrest, Vladimir Putin, Bashar al-Assad, Syria uprising
Democratic ways should be followed by the ruling as well as the rebels
to settle their ends. Innocent people should not be killed in the name
of revolution and misrule. Let us pray for peace in the world.
i find mr. putin's statement as a natural, neutral and applicable one,
unlike the clinton and obama's statement. they only thinking to change
the government of syria with opposition and then it will become the
civil war.
It is obvious that no one wants peace in the Middle East. The angel of death is pushing those nations to the brink of World War Three.
This is a chance for the world leaders to show that they respect democratic method in bringing change in peoples life. Iraq and Afghanistan what happended and what our elected leaders stood for while millions of oridnery people protested with in their capacity. None of the world leader respected it. Let us see in case of Syria these socalled democrtic leaders resort lynching once again.
Too bad for the Syrian people, Syria has become the opening match of Coldwar II. Having the entire western world thoroughly committed and betting all their political stock on regime-change, the US cannot walk away from Syria leaving Assad in power without a major loss of face, the world's "sole superpower" can ill afford such a loss at the heels of two other losses in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Russia and China too realize that they cannot hand the West the authority to select governments in the third-world. It has become routine for the Western governments and media to question the legitimacy of any elections in which their favorite does not win, and Russia itself.
To any person without a hidden agenda and rational thinking, the approach proposed
by Mr. Putin would appeal. But everyone knows that US is not pursuing an agenda for
the people of Syria. It is just pursuing an agenda to place the regime that would be
subservient to its interests or should I say the interests of its business class... The
approach the US/NATO is pursuing would bring no good neither to US/NATO, nor Syria
nor the common people of US/NATO. If anyone would be benefitted it would the be the
oil industries and business houses and consequently the politicians (for their election
expense)...
Please Email the Editor