Russia, Egypt Say Political Solution Only Way to End War in Syria

CAIRO- Foreign ministers of Russia and Egypt insisted on Thursday that the only way to end the current crisis in Syria is the political solution.

During a visit to Cairo, Russia’s Sergei Lavrov said his country wants an “international conference as soon as possible to open a political dialogue” that can resolve the crisis in Syria, according to al-Manar website.

Lavrov said a political solution to the war would also help to bring stability to the region.

Nabil Fahmy, the foreign minister in Egypt’s interim administration, said for his part that Cairo was against any military intervention in Syria.

“We call upon all to work on a political solution” to end the war, he said.

Arab League made hasty decisions concerning Syria

In a press conference on Thursday in Cairo following negotiations with his Egyptian counterparts, Lavrov stressed that the Arab League (AL) has made a number of hasty decisions concerning the crisis in Syria in the past two years, the Voice of Russia reported.

“As for the League of Arab States’ position on the Syrian crisis, this position is well-known, and our attitude towards it is also well-known. We believe that some too hasty decisions have been made in the past two years,” Lavrov said.

“I think it’s very important further to adhere to the fundamental principle of the League’s work, which is the consensus principle,” he said.

Destruction of Chemical Weapons in Syria Proceeding Actively

On the Chemical Weapons issue, Lavrov said that Moscow is satisfied with how the destruction of the chemical weapons in Syria proceeds.

The Russian minister stressed that Russia and Egypt have “a common positive assessment about the ongoing work on destroying chemical weapons in Syria.”

“This work is proceeding actively and without any setbacks,” he said.

The Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is to consider a phased plan of Syria’s chemical demilitarization submitted by Damascus on Friday.

H. Mustafa