Russian Parliament approves use of military force in Syria 

September 30, 2015, 8:48 am

Russian President Vladimir Putin in an informal chat with his US counterpart Barack Obama after formal talks in New York on 28 September 2015 [PPIO]

The Russian parliament on Wednesday unanimously granted President Vladimir Putin the right to deploy the country’s military in Syria.

“The Federation Council unanimously supported the president’s request – 162 votes in favor [of granting permission],” Kremlin chief of staff Sergey Ivanov said.

Moscow has clarified that Russia will use only its Air Force in Syria against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on Syrian President Bashar Assad’s request.

“In order to observe the international law, one of the two conditions has to be met – either a UN Security Council resolution or a request by a country, on the territory of which an airstrike is delivered, about military assistance,” Ivanov said.

“In this respect, I want to inform you that the president of the Syrian Arab Republic has addressed the leadership of our country with a request of military assistance,” he added.

“The operation’s military goal is exclusively air support of the Syrian armed forces in their fight against ISIL,” he said.

It would be a limited operation by the Russian Air Force, the Kremlin said.

Russia’s partners will be informed today about the decision to use Russian Air Force in Syria.

“All our partners and allies will be informed today about the decision [to use Russian Air Force in Syria]. Specific information will probably be shared with defense ministries as well,” Ivanov said.

France on Tuesday exhorted Russia to back its words with deeds over fighting Islamic State militants in Syria.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Russians “talk a lot, but as far as I can tell they haven’t committed any planes against Islamic State.” He added: “If it (Russia) is against the terrorists, it’s not abnormal to launch strikes against them.”

Putin had, in his UNGA address on Monday, proposed that the world needs an anti-terror coalition on the lines of the anti-Hitler coalition during the second World War.

“Relying on international law, we must join efforts to address the problems that all of us are facing, and create a genuinely broad international coalition against terrorism. Similar to the anti-Hitler coalition, it could unite a broad range of parties willing to stand firm against those who, just like the Nazis, sow evil and hatred of humankind,” Putin told world leaders at the UN.

TBP and Agencies