UN, 18 November. /TASS/. Russia urged on Friday to find a collective response to threats in the Mediterranean region, and to stop flirting with radicals and extract other lessons from the “Arab spring”. With the corresponding statement was made by permanent representative to the UN Vassily Nebenzia at the meeting of the Security Council.
“If the response to the threat in the Mediterranean is truly collective, the waves of instability will continue to spread from the crisis centers. You need to stop the double game and to abandon flirtation with the radicals. We are open for cooperation with all partners to prevent destructive developments in the Mediterranean region. Russia is pursuing a clear policy, and here we have no hidden agenda,” – said the diplomat.
According to him, “from the beginning of the so-called Arab spring, triggered a series of destructive processes in the middle East and North Africa”, Russia offered the UN Security Council to conduct a “thorough analysis of what happened and to learn lessons for the future.” “Meanwhile, this sad but valuable experience has remained unclaimed for many, but the growing instability in the region was deftly used by extremist and terrorist groups. “Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb,” “Boko Haram”, “Al-Shabab”, the African cell of the IG (banned in Russia grouping “Islamic state”) and others rushed to fill the power vacuum created with the help of external forces,” – said Nebenzia.
He cited the example of the situation in Libya, where, with the support of NATO countries in 2011 overthrew the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, and are involved in the uprising of armed groups gained access to weapons arsenals. “This determined further development of the situation far beyond the Libyan borders, particularly in the Sahara-Sahel region and the Mediterranean”, – said the permanent representative of the Russian Federation.
“We should not make the mistake of believing that terrorists can be used to achieve any political goals, such as regime change in Tripoli, Damascus or somewhere else, and then expect that they will be trained deradicalization and reintegrarea in a peaceful society. Of course, they take financial, military and any other assistance, but will turn back to their sponsors as soon as they deem it necessary. We have seen this in Afghanistan in the case of “al-Kiadas” and you can see again,” – said the diplomat. According to him, “it is unacceptable to close our eyes to the manifestations of radicalization, much less to condone them.”
