Lavrov: Victory over terrorism in Syria’s Idleb is inevitable
MOSCOW, (ST)- Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stressed that victory over terrorism in Syria’s Idleb is inevitable and imperative and that the agreements on the de-escalation zone in Idleb don’t mean to stop fighting the terrorist organizations there.
In his speech at the 56th Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Lavrov said ” the Russian-Turkish agreements on de-escalation in Idleb don’t in any way mean to give up the relentless fight against the terrorist danger.
He affirmed the importance of eliminating the terrorist organizations, mainly Jabhat al-Nusra, in Idleb, their last stronghold in Syria.
Lavrov pointed out that implementing the agreements on Idleb faces several obstacles mainly the use of civilians in Idleb as human shields by the terrorists.
On the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Lavrov held talks with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen on the situation in Syria with focus on the need to ensure stability and security on the ground.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the talks between Lavrov and Pedersen “discussed the recent developments in Syria with focus on the need to ensure stability and security on
the ground, based on respecting the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as the fight against terrorists designed as such by the United Nations Security Council.”
The talks also touched upon promoting the political process in Syria in conformity with the provisions of Resolution 2254 of the UN Security Council and the continuation of the constitution committee’s work.
Also on the sideline of Munich Security Conference, Lavrov met with his German counterpart Heiko Maas and discussed with him the situation in Syria, particularly in the des-escalation zone in Idleb.
Hamda Mustafa