Putin urges world leaders to drop 'archaic logic' in global affairs

MOSCOW - The international community should abandon the "archaic logic of geo-political games" that implies infringement into other countries' affairs, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

In his address to an international security conference in Moscow, which was read out by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Putin called on world leaders to unite on the grounds of equal security, international laws and the core role of the United Nations (UN) in the modern, troubled world.

"The process of maturing of the new polycentric international system has been uneasy. It is accompanied by increasing of the global instability," state-run news agency RIA Novosti quoted the president as saying.

He cited the Middle East, Northern Africa and Afghanistan as the most volatile and unpredictable global spots.

Modern challenges and threats demand that members of the international community abandon zero-sum geo-political games and attempts to impose one's values upon other nations, said Putin, adding that the forceful change of regimes must also be outlawed.

The two-day conference, held under the auspices of the Defense Ministry, was attended by over 300 experts and officials from 40 countries. The ministry said topics would include ways to counter forceful regime changes and the future situation in Afghanistan.