Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday criticised Western countries again over their conduct in connection with the civil war in Syria.
"The main thing is that our partners cannot stop. Having already created an atmosphere of chaos in many countries, they are now continuing that policy in others, in particular Syria," Putin said at a meeting in his residence outside Moscow with a delegation of residents from Ryazan region.
Putin said his position on the Middle East is "to facilitate a change for the better in those countries, but not impose, particularly by force, what we think is right, and stir up internal events".
"We have warned of the need to tread carefully, not impose any force, which leads to chaos. And what do we see now? A situation much like chaos," he said, adding that Russia has never forced its will on any other country.
Citing the historical example of the Roman empire`s invasion of Carthage, he said it would be "very unfortunate" if a similar scenario were to be repeated today.
"In my view, something like this is already happening, when strong nations are trying to impose their own rules of conduct and moral codes on weaker states," without properly considering the historical and social contexts, Putin said.
He added that Russia has enjoyed an advantage over other countries because it was multi-ethnic and multi-faith state.
"Our leading religion, Orthodox Christianity, has always been tolerant toward other faiths," he said.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.