Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia is committed to the success of an intra-Syrian dialogue based on the Geneva I statement and without any foreign interference.
Lavrov’s remarks were addressed to participants at the second round of Moscow-brokered consultative talks between delegations of the Syrian government and figures of the opposition.
In his message to the delegations, which was read by Russia’s Special Envoy Azmatullah Kolmohammadov, Lavrov said that the second round of meetings in Moscow is evidence that the ‘Moscow process’ is progressing, noting that the process is not limited to the meetings taking place inside the Russian capital.
He explained that Syrian-Syrian communications are also held in Cairo, Paris, Stockholm and Damascus.
The foreign minister said the challenges of terrorism on Syria after four years are vast and require united efforts from the Syrians, regardless of their political differences, to find solutions to all the urgent issues on the national agenda.
Lavrov cited the situation on the ground as the primary focus, stating Moscow’s concern since the terror danger in Syria has not only not receded, but rather mounted and expanded.
The foreign minister referred to the recent increase in activity of terrorist organizations by ISIS and the Nusra Front in a number of Syria areas, taking this as an indication that all the forces seeking to undermine Syria are uniting.
Lavrov also criticized the so-called “non-lethal assistance” provided by foreign states to terrorists.
This, he reiterated, makes having the Syrians intensify their efforts to fight terrorism and extremism a priority.
Lavrov stressed this priority in view of the what he called the “anti-terrorism operation” led by the US and its regional allies, carried out in lieu of a Security Council mandate and without the consent of the Syrian government.
This operation, Lavrov said, has only proved counterproductive.
