28 Mar 2024
Wednesday 4 September 2013 - 16:07
Story Code : 47990

Putin hints Russia may back Syria strike

PresidentVladimir Putinsaid he has not ruled out supporting amilitary operation inSyria if provided with evidence proving government forces used chemical weapons.
"I haven't excluded it," Putin said when asked about thepossibility ofsupporting UN-led military intervention inthe Middle Eastern country if convinced that Syrian President Bashar Assad used poisonous gas against his own people.

Putin was speaking late Tuesday inan interview with Channel One state television andThe Associated Press before theG20 summit inSt. Petersburg.

But he stressed that only theUnited Nation Security Council had thelegal mandate toauthorize theuse offorce against asovereign country, saying that any other military action inSyria "could only be called aggression."

Putin also said U.S. evidence that Syrian government forces had used sarin gas inlate August was inconclusive. He repeated his previous claim that any evidence suggesting thepossible use ofchemical weapons inSyria should be submitted tothe UN forfurther investigation.

When asked if he had seen videos ofa chemical attack's victims, Putin called theimages "horrible" but said that thevideos could be fromal-Qaida-linked rebels anddid not prove who carried out theattack.

Inaddition toSyria, theinterview covered awide range oftopics, including Putin's relationship with U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. Intelligence leaker Edward Snowden andRussia's anti-gay propaganda law.

By The Moscow Times

 

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