Georgia attack is Russia's 9/11: Medvedev

Moscow, Sept 12 (UNI) President Dmitry Medvedev today said the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States were similar to Georgia's military strike against its breakaway region of South Ossetia, last month.

''I think, it is absolutely correct - at least, as far as the situation in Russia is concerned. Because of 9/11, the US and the mankind in general learned a number of important lessons. I would like the world to learn the lessons of August 8 as well,'' Medvedev said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

''Mankind has drawn lessons from September 11 tragedy and other tragic events.I would like the world to draw lessons also from these events in South Ossetia,'' he said.

''Russia has zones where it has its interests. It is senseless to deny this, because we will defend our interests and the interests of Russian citizens,'' Medvedev pointed out.

He said even if Georgia were on the path to membership of NATO, Russia would still not hesitate to attack again in the same circumstances.

However, he played down fears that the crisis has caused a deep rift between Russia and the West, saying, ''We do not need this.'' He stressed that the unipolar world does not work any more and the system has to be changed.

''It is absolutely obvious that the so-called unipolar system has proved itself utterly ineffective in dealing with crises,'' he added.

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