In response to the question whether the minister's statement ran counter to the international law, Mr. Lavrov sated that "the modern international law proceeds from the assumption that in case any country suffers a terrorist attack and there are serious grounds to believe that this attack may continue, than the state by way of implementing its right for self-defense may undertake necessary measures to eliminate or mitigate such a remaining threat."
The minister explained that the threat of terrorist attacks against Russia remains. "No one has doubts about it," he pointed out.
According to the minister, Article 51 of the UN Charter secures the right of states for self-defense. The UN Security Council's resolutions after the 9/11 unanimously declared that the right for self-defense applies not only conventional armed attacks, but also to the armed attacks in the form of a terrorist attack.
Therefore, in Mr. Lavrov's opinion, "Russia has the right to self-defense against terrorist attacks and the right to eliminate or mitigate the threat of terrorist attacks. It does not mean at all that we will start to use this right tomorrow."
"Our representatives have repeatedly emphasized that the right will be realized only in those cases when we have sufficient evidence that the use of force consistent with our right will be a measure of last resort. They have also emphasized the readiness to continue combating the international terrorism in coordination and cooperation with the international community within the framework of the antiterrorist coalition," said the minister in response to the question of the Al-Jazeera TV channel.
Earlier, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov stated, "I consider the use of preventive strikes against terrorist bases including those abroad, to be justified and possible."
