Middle East needs joint stabilization efforts, not NATO’s buildup, says senior diplomat

MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. Russia is unaware of plans to solidify NATO’s role in the Middle East in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s appeal. However, the region needs joint efforts by the global community to stabilize the situation there rather than that, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Wednesday answering a question from TASS. "This appeal has not been outlined in any way. At any rate, we have no information [about it]," he said when asked to comment on the US president’s statement. "Today it is essential not to solidify NATO’s role, but to pool the efforts of the international community based on international law in order to stabilize [the situation in] the region jointly, create conditions for political processes, the way it is happening in Syria and the way we are trying to do in Libya," the senior diplomat added. Read more