MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - President Vladimir Putin says the principles for settling regional conflicts ought to be universal and based upon respect for the interests of all nations concerned.
"The principles of settlement ought to be universal and based upon international law, on respect for the interests of all nations concerned in the conflict," Putin said at the meeting of Russian ambassadors on Tuesday in Moscow.
The need to open dialogue and not isolate nations applies "in full measure" to settling regional conflicts in Kosovo, Cyprus, Transcaucasia and Transdniestria, he said.
He stressed that in the CIS "our country is directly participating in settling a number of conflicts."
"And I'd like to stress that we intend to carry out our peacekeeping mission in spite of unmistakable provocations which we have seen so often," he said
"We do not divide world nations into those we will cooperate with and those we will resist," he said.
"For example, our competitors in economic markets are simultaneously our key partners in solving major international problems," Putin said.
"This is the nature of modern international relations, where components of cooperation and competitiveness are closely intertwined," he said.
He said: "We show in practice that it is more profitable to befriend and cooperate with contemporary Russia. And we intend to rationally utilize the emerging resources to protect the interests of Russian citizens and Russia from unfair competition."