Medvedev: Forces Seeking Peace in Syria Should Sit at Negotiation Table and Agree on Syria’s Future

 MOSCOW, (ST)-Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has reiterated that there is no military solution to the crisis in Syria, stressing that all the forces, willing to attain peace in Syria, should sit at the negotiation table and agree on Syria’s future and political system.

In an interview with China Central Television on Friday, reported by the Russian media, Medvedev affirmed the need to preserve Syria’s integrity and prevent its split into “terrorist enclaves”.

 The Russian premier pointed out that political dialogue on the crisis in Syria must not touch upon the future of the Syrian president, saying “President Bashar Al-Assad is the current and legitimate president of Syria and he should take part in this political process.”

He stressed that there is a big debate between Russia on the one hand and the U.S. and the Europeans on the other on the issue of separating “moderate opposition” from terrorists in Syria. “This is the key point that hinders reaching settlement in Syria,” he said.

Medvedev clarified that the participation of the  Russian military in anti-terror operations in Syria aims at eliminating terrorists and  prevent their spread to other countries, noting that terrorists of Russian origin are fighting alongside terrorist groups and they may return to their homeland later.

Hamda Mustafa