Lavrov: Russian air force operation turned the tide in Syria, caused the terrorists-controlled area to shrink

MOSCOW-The operation of Russia’s air group in Syria has contributed a great deal to turning the tide of events in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a 2015 review news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Itar Tass reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative for forming a wide anti-terrorist coalition under the aegis of the United Nations was one of the key developments of 2015, Lavrov said.

“The operation of Russia’s air group in response to a request from the Syrian leadership really made it possible to turn the tide of events in the country and to cause the terrorists-controlled area to shrink,” Lavrov said. “Also, it became clear who fights the terrorists in earnest and who is their accomplice and tries to use them for their selfish aims.”

UN Secretariat must give honest reports on implementation of resolutions on combating terrorism

 According to Lavrov, the UN Secretariat should provide honest and detailed reports on the implementation of the UN Security Council’s resolutions on curbing terrorist financing.

“Our active participation in the anti-terror struggle has contributed to the passing of a number of important resolutions of the UN Security Council aimed at curbing terrorist financing and the phenomenon of foreign terrorist gunmen. We are seeking their scrupulous implementation and honest and detailed reports of the UN Secretariat on who and how meets one’s commitments on these important documents,” Lavrov said.

UN report not mentioning Syrian oil smuggled to Turkey

According to the foreign minister, the first report on compliance with the UN Security Council’s resolution on curbing financing of terrorist groups has not mentioned the issue of smuggling stolen Syrian oil from Syria to Turkey.

“According to our unofficial data, the report in fact says nothing about such a phenomenon as oil smuggling from Syria to Turkey. This is outrageous,” Lavrov stressed.

Moscow will check the reports and is sending the signal to the UN Secretariat, he said.

 The illegal oil deals, which have been reported by mass media, should be included in the report, the minister added. “We will seek this. We will not allow winding up and burying all this in oblivion,” he said.

H.M