Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Moscow, SANA – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the reactions to the meeting held in Moscow between the Syrian government and opposition groups were positive, noting that a number of opposition figures who didn’t participate in the meeting voiced their interest in taking part in the next meeting.
During a press conference for the foreign ministers of the RIC (Russia, India, and China) group on Monday, Lavrov said that the positive reactions to the meeting came not only from the sides who participated in it, but from other opposition figures who for one reason or another didn’t attend the meeting, and they said that they wanted to be invited to any similar meetings held in the future.
He said that the principles specified in the meeting were agreed upon by the attending opposition groups, so there’s a slim hope that this will help launch a peaceful process that encompasses all Syrians on the basis of the Geneva 1 communiqué.
Lavrov added that Russia will continue discussions with its international partners, the countries neighboring Syria, and Egypt to help realize a unified position for the opposition.
During the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed the need to unite efforts to maintain stability in the region, while Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that there’s no justification for terrorism or funding and supporting it.
Gatilov: Russian continuous efforts to resume Syrian-Syrian dialogue
In this regard, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov stressed his country’s readiness to continue supporting the Syrian-Syrian dialogue to reach a political settlement to the crisis in Syria.
In an interview to Russia Today TV, Gatilov said the purpose of the consultative meeting among the Syrian sides was fulfilled, adding that the meetings were fruitful.
Commenting on “Geneva Communiqué”, he said that it is still a sound platform but all developments should be taken into consideration, adding that all sides which had participated in the consultative meeting agreed on Moscow Statement.
The Russian official stressed the need to unify international efforts to confront terrorism, adding that the efforts exerted to stop the purchase of the petroleum from terrorists in Syria and Iraq is insufficient despite all resolutions issued by the international community to block the activities of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria terrorist organization and deprive it from obtaining economic resources and weaponry.
He stressed that ISIS is using the funds raised by selling petroleum to expand its terrorist activities and purchase weaponry and munitions, highlighting that Moscow is preparing a draft resolution in this regard and this endeavor is supported by the international partners.
On the effectiveness of the international “coalition” in fighting the ISIS, Gatilov said that no tangible results were achieved although over 1,700 air raids on ISIS objectives were carried outwith a cost of more than USD 2 billion , stressing that the results would have been much more successful if these steps had been coordinated with the Syrian authorities.
Hazem Sabbagh/ Mohammad Nassr/ Mazen Eyon
