Air strikes on Syria not coordinated with legitimate authorities will escalate conflict: Minister Lavrov

MOSCOW, (ST). Air strikes on Syria made without coordination with the legitimate authorities of Syria will trigger «colossal escalation” of the situation in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared after a meeting with Foreign Minister of Mali Abdulai Diope on Tuesday.

 “There are reasons to suspect that the air strikes will be made not only on areas controlled by militants of the “Islamic State”, but the government troops might be quietly bombarded as well so as to weaken the positions of the Bashar Assad army.”

“It will be a step towards colossal escalation of the conflicts in the Middle East and in the north of Africa. We strongly insist on full respect for the existing norms of international law and call to undertake such acts only with the consent of the legitimate authorities of a respective state,” Lavrov said.

ITAR-TASS

M. Wassouf