Moscow wants to prevent the replay of what happened in Libya

Putin defends Russian stance on Syria
02 March, 2012 – By Vladimir Isachenkov – The Daily Star

MOSCOW: Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has strongly criticized the West for backing the Syrian opposition against the government, saying it has fueled the conflict.

Putin on Friday called for both Syrian government and opposition forces to pull out of besieged cities to end the bloodshed, adding that Western refusal to make that demand of opponents of President Bashar Assad has encouraged them to keep fighting.

“Do they want Assad to pull out his forces so the opposition moves right in?” Putin said at a meeting with editors of top Western newspapers in remarks carried by state television. “Is it a balanced approach?”

Putin ridiculed Western demands of Assad, saying the next thing they want will be for the Syrian leader “to grab a wooden mackintosh and have music play in his house.”

Assad “will not hear (the music) because it will be his funeral,” he said. “He will never agree to that demand.”

Putin refused to speculate on Assad’s chance of holding onto power, saying that reforms in Syria have been long overdue and it’s unclear whether the government and the opposition could find a consensus.

Syria is Russia’s last remaining ally in the Middle East. Moscow has maintained close ties with Damascus since the Cold War, when Syria was led by the current leader’s father, Hafez Assad.

Putin insisted that Russia’s opposition to the United Nations resolution condemning Assad is rooted not in its economic interests, but a desire to help end hostilities.

He defended last month’s Russia-China veto of a U.N. resolution condemning Assad’s crackdown on protests, saying that Moscow wants to prevent the replay of what happened in Libya, where a NATO air campaign helped Libyan opposition forces oust Moammar Gadhafi.
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