MOSCOW, November 19. Western countries have realized the futility of an ultimatum of resignation from the post of President of Syria Bashar al-Assad in the hope that this step will solve the problems in the country. This was stated in an interview with “Radio Russia”, the Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
He recalled the appeal of Russian President Vladimir Putin from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly to overseas partners with the question: “do You understand now, what have you done?” “The answer to the question starts to arrive. Reaction to what is happening in Syria, began to change in the aftermath of the UNGA, after the main part, which was attended by the heads of States and governments, foreign Ministers, said the Minister. – Felt the change in the enthusiasm with which was met the idea of the flagship multilateral talks on Syria.”
According to Lavrov, “until recently, our Western partners did not want to create inclusive range of external players,” but in the last month there were two meetings of an international “support Group Syria,” “in which are presented all the neighbors of Syria and all the countries that somehow can influence the situation”.
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“We managed to take two documents that present the consensus and the principles that the Russian Federation consistently promoted throughout the Syrian crisis, suggests that our Western partners realize the pointlessness of the line, which many of them are occupied and which was, in fact, the ultimatum – that go (UAR President Bashar) Assad and then all problems will be solved”, – stressed the head of the Russian foreign Ministry.
“In the face of such enormous and unprecedented threats continue to flirt and put forward some pre-conditions such as the change of regime in a given country, in order to consolidate the actions in the fight against terror, is simply unforgivable,” said the Minister.
“I think everybody start to understand the need for more pragmatic approaches that is evident in the Vienna meeting (the”Group support Syria” – approx.), which manifests itself in a very strong, large-scale, major public step by the French President, who proposed to set aside all differences on other issues and to create a anti-terrorism coalition. This fully fits into that initiative put forward from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly the President (Vladimir) Putin, proposing to create a wide universal anti-terrorist front,” said Lavrov.
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As noted by the Russian foreign Minister, Assad shows the interests of a significant part of Syrian society.
“All of our colleagues in negotiations with approval of the Geneva communiqué, participated, and then for a long time they tried to enact in the UN security Council resolution, which would have allowed them to use force for the overthrow of the regime (in Syria), – Lavrov reminded. – Russia and China have consistently used their veto right, the resolution is not passed, but the West said that without the departure of Assad from power will only multiply the suffering of the Syrian people”.
The Minister drew attention that the days of Assad “believe” for the fifth year. “All the predictions which were put forward by our Western and some other colleagues, that the people will rise up and depose him, they do not come true, – said the head of the Russian foreign Ministry. – That means only one thing: the fact that Assad displays the interests of a significant part of Syrian society and therefore a peaceful solution without his participation can not find work”.
For banned in the Russian Federation the terrorist group “Islamic state” (IG, is prohibited in the RF group) no matter what position any country takes on the question of the fate of Assad, said the Minister.
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He noticed that the HQs of the Russian Federation carried out an operation in Syria “the invitation and the request of Assad”, while the U.S.-led coalition “is acting in Syria without the invitation of the legitimate government and without a mandate from the UN security Council”. “Despite the fact that in Syria the Americans and their NATO partners and other coalition members are acting without international legal base, we said that in the interests of combating terrorism we are ready our efforts to coordinate, and suggested that a sufficiently deep level of interaction, – Lavrov reminded. American side took only the agreement that is necessary to avoid incidents in the air between our air force and American aviation, and deep coordination refused”.
According to him, Americans have until recently stated that “only the question of exactly when, exactly and for sure Assad leaves his post, will help establish coordination in the fight against IG”. “Assad called the magnet that attracts all terrorists. If this logic is followed, it turns out that not only Assad is a magnet for ISIL (formerly ISIS – ed.). For LIH magnets and steel Lebanon, Turkey, France, and Egypt, – said the Minister. But if we remember that France and Turkey have most rigidly insisted on the immediate departure of Bashar al-Assad, the logic “remove Assad, ISIS and the rest” disappears”.
“ISIL is trying to achieve its goal of creating a so-called Caliphate – without any connection to what is happening in Syria and without any connection to who and how refers to Bashar al-Assad” – said Lavrov.
