The 'Doha Coalition' does not want dialogue or a political solution to the crisis in Syria, but seeks foreign intervention in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said the Coalition's demand that Syrian President Bashar Assad to depart as a precondition for participation in a proposed joint U.S.-Russian peace conference, scheduled to be held in Geneva next month, is "impractical and aims to hinder the conference and pave the way for military intervention in Syria."
"No one has the right to throw threats and ultimatums around," Lavrov told reporters following talks with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez.
"This coalition doesn't have any positive program. It is busy rotating positions, especially the position of its presidency," he said.
"The only thing they are united on is the demand that President Bashar Assad immediately step down.
"Everyone, including our Western partners, understands that this condition is unrealistic," he said.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said that Russia will take part in a high-level meeting in Geneva next week to discuss preparations for the international conference on Syria.
The Russia Today news website said that Gatilov had not ruled out the possibility that the U.N. envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi might also join the meeting.
—————————–
Translated and Edited by The Syrian Observe
......
