BELGRADE (Sputnik) — The United Nations should mandate a joint operation to counter the Islamic State (IS, also known by its Arab acronym Daesh), President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ilkka Kanerva told Sputnik on Thursday.
"Countering terrorism will remain among serious issues. I would be happy to hear if the United Nations mandate some kind of common joint operation to counter Islamic State and deal with all activities around that phenomena," Kanerva said.
Cutting financing is the most effective and constructive way to fight terrorist groups, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly noted.
"In my understanding, cutting the financing of the terrorist groups should be the most effective way. We need to do it in a very decisive way. I hope for that kind of cooperation between the East and West within the UN. It will be a necessary step," Kanerva said.
Commenting on recent statements by Russian military authorities that Turkey is involved in illegal oil trade with terrorists, Kanerva stated that he is not familiar with the background and realities behind this information. "But as a representative of OSCE, I should say that cutting financing of IS would be the most constructive way to cooperate and fight terrorism," he said.
