MOSCOW (AFP) – Russian diplomats told a top visiting US
dignitary on Friday that Moscow would continue backing Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad’s campaign against rebel forces despite peace talks due later this
month.
dignitary on Friday that Moscow would continue backing Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad’s campaign against rebel forces despite peace talks due later this
month.
US Under Secretary of State Wendy
Sherman’s visit came ahead of a crunch meeting in Paris on Monday between her
boss John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that will focus on
Moscow’s push to give Syrian ally Iran a formal seat at the so-called Geneva 2
conference.
Sherman’s visit came ahead of a crunch meeting in Paris on Monday between her
boss John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that will focus on
Moscow’s push to give Syrian ally Iran a formal seat at the so-called Geneva 2
conference.
Russian officials said Lavrov and
Kerry would also hold a joint meeting in Paris on Monday with UN-Arab League
peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.
Kerry would also hold a joint meeting in Paris on Monday with UN-Arab League
peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.
Sherman did not address reporters
after her meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Bogdanov and
Gennady Gatilov. The two diplomats will represent Moscow at the Syria
negotiations that are scheduled to begin on January 22 in Switzerland.
after her meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Bogdanov and
Gennady Gatilov. The two diplomats will represent Moscow at the Syria
negotiations that are scheduled to begin on January 22 in Switzerland.
But the Russian foreign ministry
said Sherman was told that Assad’s campaign against “terrorist groups” deserved
comprehensive support.
said Sherman was told that Assad’s campaign against “terrorist groups” deserved
comprehensive support.
“The Russian representatives
stressed the importance of uniting efforts by the Syrian government and the
patriotically-inclined opposition to fight terrorist groups whose activities
are threatening not only the future of Syria, but also regional stability,” the
Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
stressed the importance of uniting efforts by the Syrian government and the
patriotically-inclined opposition to fight terrorist groups whose activities
are threatening not only the future of Syria, but also regional stability,” the
Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Moscow uses the phrase
“patriotically-inclined opposition” to refer to Syrian groups that are not part
of Assad’s ruling Baath party but which are sanctioned by the regime and do not
include the opposition National Coalition umbrella body or rebels fighting on
the ground.
“patriotically-inclined opposition” to refer to Syrian groups that are not part
of Assad’s ruling Baath party but which are sanctioned by the regime and do not
include the opposition National Coalition umbrella body or rebels fighting on
the ground.
The Russian statement said Moscow
and Washington agreed that the Geneva 2 conference — a follow-up to July 2012
consultations that failed to put an end to the fighting — must focus on
engaging regime and opposition members in their first direct contact.
and Washington agreed that the Geneva 2 conference — a follow-up to July 2012
consultations that failed to put an end to the fighting — must focus on
engaging regime and opposition members in their first direct contact.
“The forum must give the start to
direct Syrian talks based on the Geneva communique, whose frameworks call on
the Syrians themselves to decide the issue of how their future government
works,” the Russian statement said.
direct Syrian talks based on the Geneva communique, whose frameworks call on
the Syrians themselves to decide the issue of how their future government
works,” the Russian statement said.
The first Geneva meeting — involving
world powers but no Syrian regime or rebel officials — concluded with an
agreement that Assad and his opponents should decide on a transitional
government whose representatives suited all sides.
world powers but no Syrian regime or rebel officials — concluded with an
agreement that Assad and his opponents should decide on a transitional
government whose representatives suited all sides.
US officials interpreted the wording
to mean that the deal excluded the possibility of Assad remaining in power.
to mean that the deal excluded the possibility of Assad remaining in power.
But Russia — its ties to Syria
stretching back decades and involving weapons sales worth billions of dollars a
year — insists that Assad cannot be forced to step down through outside pressure
because he retains strong domestic support.
stretching back decades and involving weapons sales worth billions of dollars a
year — insists that Assad cannot be forced to step down through outside pressure
because he retains strong domestic support.
No decision on Iran
Russia has been one of the principal
backers of Iran’s inclusion in the Syria peace negotiations because of its sway
over Assad’s regime — a positioned backed by Germany but opposed most vocally
by France and the United States.
backers of Iran’s inclusion in the Syria peace negotiations because of its sway
over Assad’s regime — a positioned backed by Germany but opposed most vocally
by France and the United States.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
said he told Russia’s Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation on Thursday
that the peace conference would fail without Tehran’s involvement.
said he told Russia’s Vladimir Putin in a telephone conversation on Thursday
that the peace conference would fail without Tehran’s involvement.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon did not include
Iran in his invitations to 30 countries to the gathering.
Iran in his invitations to 30 countries to the gathering.
And the Islamic republic had earlier
brushed aside a US suggestion that it play a “sideline” role at the
negotiations as insulting.
brushed aside a US suggestion that it play a “sideline” role at the
negotiations as insulting.
Russian diplomats said no conclusive
decision was reached on Iran’s role in Switzerland during Sherman’s visit.
decision was reached on Iran’s role in Switzerland during Sherman’s visit.
“This issue was pushed back until
the meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State
John Kerry in Paris,” Interfax quoted Gatilov as saying.
the meeting between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State
John Kerry in Paris,” Interfax quoted Gatilov as saying.
Moscow said Lavrov would further
hold rare consultations with National Coalition chief Ahmad Jarba in Paris on
either Sunday or Monday.
hold rare consultations with National Coalition chief Ahmad Jarba in Paris on
either Sunday or Monday.
