Lavrov, Pompeo Discuss, Syria, Venezuela, Anti-Russian Sanctions

MOSCOW- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo have held a phone conversation on the US side’s initiative to discuss the situation in Venezuela, Syria and anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The top diplomats of the two states have addressed the situation in Syria and agreed that further bilateral dialogue was necessary for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2254 on Syrian reconciliation, according to Itar Tass.

Regarding the sanctions on Russia, the statement reads: “In connection with the US secretary of state’s previously announced intention to impose additional sanctions on Russia under the absolutely unsubstantiated pretext of last year’s murky case of the Salisbury ‘poisoning’ of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who have since been out of the public’s eye, Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov stressed that this unjustified step by Washington will only further aggravate the situation in bilateral relations and the atmosphere on the international arena”.

During the conversation, Lavrov warned against any foreign interference into Venezuela’s domestic affairs.

“While discussing the pressing issues of the international politics, Sergei Lavrov warned against any kind of interference into the internal affairs of Venezuela, including the use of force, a threat made by Washington in breach of the international law,” the statement reads. “Readiness was expressed to hold consultations on the Venezuelan issue in line with principles enshrined in the UN Charter.”

“[The sides] also exchanged opinions about the latest contacts between officials of the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US Department of State on the Korean Peninsula situation and on promoting the Afghan settlement,” the ministry said.

In the same context, Lavrov said at a joint press conference following talks with his Finnish counterpart Timo Soini on Tuesday, the US shows no shame in teaching the Venezuelan opposition how to resolve the situation in the country.

“As for the political aspect of the situation in Venezuela, at the very beginning we supported an initiative put forward by Mexico and Uruguay, which was aimed at creating conditions for national dialogue involving all of the country’s political forces. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro immediately expressed readiness to participate in such a dialogue but the opposition rejected the initiative,” Lavrov pointed out. “The reason is that the opposition is guided by the Americans, who show no shame in speaking about ways to resolve the situation,” the Russian top diplomat added.

H.M