Putin defends Syria policy as well-judged, reasonable

Russia's steps intended to help settle the Syrian conflict have been "well-judged and reasonable," President Vladimir Putin said in his annual state-of-the-nation address to the parliament on Thursday. The latest developments in and around Syria confirm the possibility of resolving any international problems peacefully, he said. "In my opinion, it is our shared success that the choice was made on the basis of fundamental principles of international law, common sense and the logic of peace. At least so far, we have managed to avoid foreign military intervention in Syrian affairs and the spread of the conflict beyond the region," Putin said. According to him, Russia has made "quite a significant" contribution to this process. "Our actions have been resolute, well-judged and reasonable. Not a single time have we put either our own interests and security or global security in danger. This is the way a mature and responsible power should act," Putin said. Earlier this year, Moscow persuaded Damascus to admit the presence of chemical weapons and agree to put them under international control. It helped avert a miliary strike against Syria and pull the solution of the conflict back to political track.