MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow is concerned over attempts to create a buffer zone on the Turkish-Syrian border as well as “slapping together” new military blocs, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Thursday.
“As the development of the situation shows, the need to create such a wide front is only growing. Deep concern is growing from the steps directed at the further invigoration of the Syrian crisis. In particular this concerns attempts to realize and create a buffer zone on the Turkish-Syrian border and slapping together some sort of new military blocs for ground operations in Syria, against whom and for what purpose and how these operations are coordinated with an international legal base,” Bogdanov said at a meeting with the International Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow.
“Many questions arise from the clearly ineffective support from Baghdad in countering the Islamic State from the US-led coalition. Terrorist activity has gone beyond the realms of Iraq long ago,” Bogdanov said.
“Overall, the methods of the fight indicate the evident appearance of double standards, several questions arise on the goals of the recently announced Islamic anti-terrorist coalition, because Iraq, Iran, and Syria are left out which are carrying the brunt in the fight against terrorism. This is incapable of uprooting terrorism and the continuing financing and recruiting of terrorists outside the UN Security Council’s resolutions,” he added.
