Syria state media praise Putin speech at UN General Assembly

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that while Syria’s government needs reform, the country will fall to the Islamic States if the worldwide community makes getting rid of Assad its top goal.

“Instead of the triumph of democracy, we get violence and social disorder”, Putin said.

Putin told the world leaders that “some of our colleagues” continue to expand NATO, the U.S.-led North Atlantic defense alliance, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union that it was created to guard against.

During his speech, Putin called for forming a broad coalition against IS with the inclusion of the legitimate Syrian government and army, while the USA insists on the ousting of Assad.

Mr. Obama said the US harbors no inherent ill will toward Russian Federation but will hold Mr. Putin accountable for his support of Mr. Assad’s brutal regime in Syria and Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine.

Presidents Obama and Putin also met privately Monday for about 90 minutes.

“There are those who argue that the ideals enshrined in the United Nations charter are unachievable or out of date – a legacy of a post-war era not suited to our own”, he told the General Debate on the opening day of the high-level segment of the Assembly’s 70th annual session.

Western powers say Assad’s military is responsible for the vast majority of the 240,000 deaths in the four-year war, but Putin said there is only “one legitimate conventional army” in Syria.

The crisis has taken on fresh urgency amid Russia’s recent military build-up in Syria.

Obama said “calling for the building of walls to keep out immigrants” and “appeals to sectarianism or tribalism” were a threat in the U.S.

Obama caused a negative reaction from the Russian delegation at the United Nations during his speech after blaming Moscow for helping to increase the “butchery” he claims Assad is committing against his people.

Mr Putin has cast the increased presence of equipment and troops in Syria as part of the effort to defeat IS, and has suggested that Russian Federation could launch airstrikes against the militants.

While Putin and Obama offered veiled criticism of each other, and of each country’s policies concerning Syria and the Middle East in general, both men must realize that a secure, stable Syria is in the best interest of both nations, as well as freedom-loving people everywhere.

He said he discussed with Obama the need for greater bilateral coordination with the US against Islamic State, adding that the two leaders reached “a common understanding” that they need to work together and that they “would now consider setting up appropriate mechanisms”.

Mr Key said it was not New Zealand’s intention to sign up to such a coalition and he believed it had done the right thing with its current mission at the USA base in Iraq.