Lavrov: Attempts to Arm Syrian “Opposition” Prevent Conference

RIO DE JANEIRO – The West’s attempts to arm the “Syrian opposition” hinder efforts to hold an international conference on Syria, the Russian foreign minister said, according to the Ria Novosti

 “The Syrian opposition’s statement is that the conference is possible only when the military balance on the ground is restored,” Sergei Lavrov told journalists.

“But if this criterion is taken into account, we will never convene that conference,” he said.

“Conniving at such sentiments of opposition figures in favor of arming them for them to regain some additional areas, I think, means acting directly against the prospective conference,” Lavrov said.

Moscow insists that Syria’s neighbors as well as Iran and Egypt be invited to the conference, Lavrov also said.

“We believe that representation of Arab countries without Egypt at the conference would be flawed,” he said. “Unfortunately, our partners are against such full-fledged representation of the regional countries at the conference, with a special objection to invitation of Iran.”

H. Mustafa