"In order to wage an effective and successful struggle against this common evil, it is necessary to pool our efforts and learn to speak one and the same language, it is necessary to give up the policy of double standards in defining what terrorism is," said the Russian president in an interview with Chinese media ahead of his upcoming visit to China.
"It is necessary at last to shed the Cold War stereotypes and rhetoric when the same actions of practically the same organisations but in different parts of the world are declared - depending on current political conditions - either as terrorist activities or the struggle for independence, a struggle within the framework of national liberation movements and so on and so forth," remarked the Russian head of state.
He said that terrorism as it deals blows not only to Russia but also to many other countries across the world is today a common global threat. "Terrorism is based on social, economic, and political injustice, on extremism which thrives on this soil and acquires the most dangerous forms in the shape of terrorism," Putin noted.
Speaking of the Beslan tragedy, the president said: "This is a special page in the activities of international terrorists and in the history of this country. The Ossetian people have courageously borne it."
According to the head of state, proper conclusions should be drawn from this tragedy. "And above all this concerns the need to strengthen political structures of the state; it also relates to the improvement of performance of law enforcement bodies and bodies struggling against this very dangerous kind of crime - terrorism. Now all this is being looked into as part of a criminal case and appropriate conclusions will be drawn."
"In order to understand that terrorism can be effectively fought only by combining efforts, it is enough to look at who became the target of a terrorist attack in Beslan: defenceless children. I think this should go to the heart of not only any rank-and-file citizen of this country but also to the minds and hearts of those people who are central to making appropriate decisions," the Russian president indicated.
He expressed gratitude to the Chinese people and the Chinese leadership for their solidarity with Russia in these hard times, especially during the Beslan tragedy. "Solidarity of our friends, support, and a sense of fellowship are particularly important in these moments. We know that the Chinese people have been absolutely sincere in doing that. And this counts a lot," Putin said.
The head of state looks forward to Russia and China developing cooperation in the struggle against international terrorism.
