Implementing US Pledges to Separate “Syrian opposition” Groups from Terrorists Top Priority – Lavrov

BISHKEK- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Sputnik news agency in Kyrgyzstan on Friday that the Russian-American agreement on Syria gives top priority to separating the “Syrian opposition” groups from the terrorists, noting that the American side is trying to avoid the implementation of this item because there are some parties in Washington who want to keep terrorists safe and away from the airstrikes.

 Lavrov went on to say that Washington is still hesitating whether to publish the Russian-US agreements on Syria, while Moscow is ready for this.

“Now we are striving for making these agreements public. We do not want to go the way of secret diplomacy,” Lavrov said. “Our American partners are hesitating now, and this is uncharacteristic of them as they call for democratic approaches to solving problems. Democracy envisages publicity,” he said.

The Western partners start understanding that the priority in Syria is the fight against terrorism, Russia’s top diplomat said. “Understanding is growing among them that things have been pushed too far away and priorities need to be chosen by probably relying more on the genuine national interests,” he said.

“And this is of course the fight against terrorism, the fight against the ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra (both outlawed in Russia),” Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that despite the West’s claims, President Bashar Al-Assad is becoming more popular in his country.

Russia Using Its Influence to Enforce Truce in Syria, Wants US to Do the Same

Meantime, Spokesman of the Russian Presidency Dmitry Peskov has stressed that Moscow continues using its influence to enforce the truce agreement in Syria and hopes that the United States will do the same.

“It goes without saying that Russia continues using its influence in order to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire agreements and it hopes that our US counterparts will be doing the same,” The Kremlin spokesman said, according to Itar Tass.

Commenting on reports of “ceasefire” violations in Syria, Peskov said that the process of establishing truce in Syria is going on, although not without problems.

“By and large it can be stated that the process (of establishing truce) is going on, although with problems,” he said.

Moscow has expressed concern over the increasing violations of the truce by the armed groups in Syria, pointing out that this increase in violations is directly linked to fact that the American side hasn’t yet separated between the “moderate opposition” and the terrorist “Jabhat al-Nusra” organization.

Bogdanov: Moscow harbors no secret plans to resolve crisis in Syria

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that “Last week’s agreement between the Russian and US senior diplomats on a ceasefire in Syria should give impetus to the start of inclusive dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition”, SANA reported.

“All of these agreements we believe should very seriously promote the beginning of a sustainable, inclusive political process with the participation of all Syrian pro-government and anti-government forces”, Bogdanov added in an interview with Sputnik on Friday.

Bogdanov highlighted that “Russia expects the United States to conduct details talks with the armed Syrian opposition unwilling to comply with this week’s ceasefire”.

“Some of the armed groups place themselves outside these agreements and in effect support the terrorists with their reluctance to respect the Russian-US-brokered truce”, he said.

Bogdanov added “We expect from our US partners a demanding conversation with these irreconcilable opposition members, because their position does not lead to peace in Syria.

Bogdanov pointed out that Moscow does not hide secret plans to resolve the crisis in Syria, clarifying that “In contrast to public statements by some Western and Arab representatives that they have a certain plan ‘B’, we say regularly that we have no secret plans ‘B’ or ‘C’”.

He affirmed that Russia maintains the course of adhering to and calling on others to adhere to agreements reached in Vienna and at the UN Security Council.

H.M