Bombing in Syria not World War III, says Russia’s EU ambassador

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Bombing in Syria not World War III, says Russia’s EU ambassador

Russia’s unprecedented military operation in Syria has raised eyebrows for their intensity if not for their chosen targets.

Vladimir Chizov, Russia’s ambassador to the European Union, spoke to euronews’ Fariba Mavaddat.

FM: What are the intentions of Russia in Syria?

VC: Russia intends to engage in combating the terrorist threat emanating from ISIL or Daeesh, whatever you call it, and affiliated terrorist organisations. Russia is not only assisting the Syrian army. There are over two thousand Russian citizens – and those of other CIS countries – fighting in Syria on the side of terrorists. We don’t want those people to gain victory and then come back.

FM: Why now after four years of unrest in Syria?

VC: I think the situation has now become quite dangerous not only for Syria but for the whole region of the Middle East. We

needed to act in full conformity with international law.

FM: But the Russian military hardware is absolutely staggering. I have some points written down here: 20 ground attack jets, tanks, armoured personnel careers, cutting edge military equipment. Is this the Third World War?

VC: It’s not the Third World War. Russia’s presence compared to the presence of other countries in the adjoining countries of the region is not that huge.

FM: Is it possible that Russia wants to keep a foothold in th Middle East?

VC: It is not an issue of creating some sort of a foothold specifically. We will certainly continue to be present in the Middle East scene both in diplomatic terms and political terms, and if needed, on the basis of international law, in military terms as well.

FM: Does it mean that once the military operations are over, you shall leave Syria?

VC: I don’t know how long this operation will last, but when there is no need for the Russian military presence, of course we have other ways of spending our military budget.

FM: When is it that there is no need?

VC: When the terrorist threat is eliminated, and there is peace and stability.

FM: There have been loud voices in the western media about Russia not targeting ISIL but starting with those rebel groups who fight against president Assad’s regime.

VC: The groups that the Russian military has been targeting are ISIL and ISIL-connected terrorist formations including, for example, Jabhat Al Nusra.

FM: How are you dealing with the military operations of the US not to mention France in Syria?

VC: We keep each other informed!

FM: Have you started a parallel political process to end the crisis?

VC: Actually, the political process should be a Syrian-owned political process as agreed by all the major powers back in January 2012. We have not undertaken the role of a mediator. We are providing a venue. We are facilitating for them to talk directly to each other.

Source: http://www.euronews.com/2015/10/02/bombing-in-syria-not-world-war-iii-says-russia-s-eu-ambassador/

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-15

[NCC1701A]

yet...

[cookee68]

carry on

[anon4546543]

one has to admire the Ruskies, if not for their intent and ambition, but to make the insipid limp wristed actions of the US and its allies look pathetic. "four planes from the gulf states took out a mortar position" wow, this action from Russia leaves you floundering, just like your stupid interventionist policy in the first place. Just get out of there, protect your borders and leave the mess that is the middle east to the Russians and the muslims. And bugger the war crime Israelis as well.

[springheeled jack]

don't knock the Russians they are doing what the west should be doing trying to get rid of terrorism there has been too much shilly shallying on behalf of the west to deal with this problem very soon they will have a bigger problem to deal with when the so called immigrants from Syria and other parts of the middle east take up arms which they are already doing in some parts my hope is that the Russians will help the west if it comes to pass .

[Mudcrab]

The US and Russia need to get onside and get the Chinese in on the act. Sort the problem out rapidly and decisively for the next millenium.

[retarius]

To me the Russians are the only ones making any sense in Syria (and Ukraine)

[Gene1960]

I was in Budapest three weeks ago and saw the so called refugees from Syria. Age 20-35, male, well groomed, designer jeans and looking healthy.

Why they do not fight in their own country, on any side? Why did they allow the foreigners' boots on their soil? In my book it means Syria is over, kaput. There is a very little chance for the country to survive, regardless of Russia's involvement.

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[anon4546543]

Gene1960 makes sense. All these cashed up young men so called refugees. An excuse for economic migrants unwilling to fight for their own country, can you imagine the allegiance they will have to the sucker countries that take them in. As for a comment from some Russian stooge that the Ruskies are making sense in Ukraine. Can you believe what you said. Russia is invading another country for keeps. At least the septics and the poms gave the countries back they invaded, their policies are sure to fail, but unlike the Ruskies they have no territorial ambitions. The whole thing is stupid for the west, get out and leave the Ruskies with another Afghanistan

[Somtamnication]

I will stay in Thailand while this crap is going on.

[rethaier]

I will stay in Thailand while this crap is going on.

Me too. But do you really believe this country is safe from Muslim extremism? I don't.

[johnnywishbone]

I would have thought that Russia learned at least a little from their Afghanistan Experience.

Impotent Obama leadership or lack thereof precipitated this scenario.

jmho

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[Rancid]

At least someone has managed in a week to find the ISIS targets that have mysteriously eluded the West for the last year.

Meanwhile NATO launches massive military games and the US loads Germany up with new bunch of nukes.

All this in preparation of a Russian invasion? Since when has Russia the resources or equipment (or desire) to mount an invasion of Europe?

Seems the war rhetoric is getting ramped up more and more by everyone's favourite exceptional country. Maybe the old lie that wars prevent recession is back in vogue again?

[uksomchai]

The way it looks to me is that both the UK and the Americans have simply been making a play of fighting ISIS as it suits their political agenda to have ISIS as the bogeyman bad guy now Bin Laden is out of the picture. Obama and Cameron have had their noses put out of joint and are being shown up as the weak and useless leaders they really are. Putin will now send in the troops to march through Syria and destroy ISIS once and for which is what the West should have done years ago when they first arrived on the scene and declared a Caliphate. He is showing these two how a real leader acts.

If you are going to fight a war on terror then fight it like you mean to win it.

The UK and to a lesser extent the USA needs to be looking out for a lot of so called Jihadists fleeing the country and running back home like the scared little girls they really are now they have to fight real soldiers