Post date: Jun 04, 2013 2:27:8 PM
Russian President Vladimir Putin warns against military intervention in Syria and says that S-300 missile complexes have not yet been delivered to Syria, says would sign a law restricting adoptions of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples, denies that exiled Russian economist Sergei Guriev will face any threat if he comes back to Russia.
YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA (JUNE 4, 2013) (EBS) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (June 4) defended Russian arms sales to the Syrian government, said he would support a ban on adoptions of Russian children by foreign same-sex couples, and said an exiled Russian economist would face no threat if he chose to return to Russia.
Speaking at a joint news conference after a summit with European Union leaders, Putin said Russia was disappointed by an EU decision not to extend an embargo on member states arming rebel forces fighting the Syrian government, and warned against military intervention in the war-torn Middle Eastern country."On our side, I underline once again that any attempts to solve the situation (inSyria) by force, by a direct foreign intervention are doomed to fail and would inevitably lead to grave humanitarian consequences. Of course, we also gave our own assessment of last week's decision by the EU foreign ministers to lift embargo on arms deliveries to the Syrian opposition. I admit we were disappointed by that," Putin said.
"In regard to S-300, it is indeed one of the world's best missile complexes, if not the best one. And probably it is the best one. It is a serious weapon of course. We do not want to tip the balance in the region. The contract was signed a few years ago. It has not yet been fulfilled," Putin added, saying that all Russian arms sales toSyria were in line with international law.
"We have a common position in regards to the need to hold a second Genevaconference. This is what unites us with our European colleagues without any doubt," Putin said, referring to a conference Western powers together with Russiaare trying to organise to end the 26-month-old conflict.
"What's the obstacle? The obstacle is probably the lack of goodwill among the armed opposition and inability to determine the list of participants from the armed opposition to take part in this conference. We hope that all these issues will be solved as soon as possible," Putin added.
The Russian leader also voiced support for a planned ban on adoptions by foreign same-sex couples and dismissed Western criticism of Russia's treatment of gay people.
"In regards to the law restricting adoptions of children from Russia by those in same-sex marriages, I have not yet seen this law. If such a law is passed by the country's parliament, I will sign it," Putin said.
Putin has frequently championed socially conservative values during a new term he started in May 2012. He said in April that a French law allowing same-sex marriage went against traditional Russian values.
Western governments have expressed concern over a Russian bill that would ban homosexual "propaganda" among minors and activists say it is fuelling violence against gays.
But Putin said Russia's legislation was "quite liberal," adding that there was "no discrimination."
The Russian president also touched on the case of Sergei Guriev, a leading economist well known to foreign investors, who confirmed last week that he had joined his family in France after hostile questioning by officers from the Investigative Committee, Russia's answer to the American FBI.
"Nobody was threatening him (Sergei Guriev) - he visits his wife (in France) all the time. If he wants to come, he's welcome to come back. If he wants to live like a free man in Paris, let him live in Paris. Nobody's chasing him away, nobody's kicking him out, nobody's threatening him. And this problem which in fact does not even exist should not get overblown," Putin said.
Guriev, who stepped down last week as rector of Moscow's prestigious New Economic School, said Putin's assurances were not enough to make him change his mind after he faced intrusive questioning as a witness in an investigation into Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the oil tycoon who was jailed for fraud in 2005.
The liberal economist co-authored a report to Medvedev's human rights council that was critical of Khodorkovsky's second conviction in 2010.
"I think it is safer for me to be a free person and not to return," Guriev, 41, said in an email exchange, adding "(Putin) said I am a free person to return if I like. I have heard that he said that before - (but the Investigative Committee's) work and threats continued and even intensified after that."
Guriev's case has gained publicity because of the economist's high-profile role as an adviser and speechwriter to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who switched roles with Putin on the latter's return to the presidency just over a year ago.