Lavrove: Geneva Declaration to Solve the Crisis in Syria
CAIRO, MOSCOW, (ST)- Russain Foreign Minister, Sergi Lavrove, has assured the importance of adopting Geneva Declaration as a basis to solve the crisis in Syria, clarifying that who contradicts this declaration will be responsible for the more victims to fall in Syria.
In a joint press conference with llhis Egyptain counterpart in Cairo, Mohammed Kamel Amro, Lavrove noted that some of Russia’s partners in the work group meeting about Syria try to disclaim of what Geneva Declaration said and evade of their responsibility to press the opposition groups to stop violence and start dialogue to find a political solution in Syria.
“Russia is carrying out its commitments regarding Geneva Declaration as to work with all parties concerned both the government and the opposition. We have no decisive effect on the opposition but those who have such effect should exert efforts to implement the items of Geneva Declaration,” Lavrove said.
Some of the participants in the Geneva meeting, Lavrove added, are trying to unify the opposition not for starting a political dialogue but to continue fighting and violence.
In reply to a question about secret negotiations between Russia and the US regarding the Syrian leadership, Lavrove denied such negotiations with any one about the future of the Syrian leadership, adding that what is important to us is the destiny of the Syrian people and putting an end to its suffering.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergi Lavrov has urged all parties involved in the crisis in Syrian to convince Syrian sides to ceasefire and sit down for dialogue.
In a press conference in Cairo on Sunday, Lavrov ruled out the possibility of military solution to the crisis in Syria, stressing that “Russia is the only country which deals with both the Syrian government and the “opposition” on the basis of Geneva Document.”
The Syrian crisis is a source of worry to us as “it has negative impacts on regional stability and on Syria’s neighboring countries,” Lavrov said.
“Some countries which participated in Geneva meeting didn’t commit themselves to the Geneva Declaration and don’t negotiate with the Syrian government, but they encourage the opposition’s armed operations and this “will unfortunately have grave consequences,” Lavrov said
For his part, Lakhdar Ibrahim, the UN Syria Envoy, said there is no military solution to the crisis in Syria, warning that the crisis will expand to neighboring countries and even beyond if it is not solved.
Ibrahimi stressed that following the contacts he made with concerned parties in Syria and abroad he became more convinced that the “Geneva accord” and its Document issued on June 30th 2012, has got many items which stress the necessity of drawing up a plan for political solution that satisfy the Syrian people.” Ibrahim said.
For his part, the Deputy Russian Foreign Minister, Michael Bogdanov stressed that Moscow insists on implementing the principles of Geneva Document to solve the crisis in Syrian and called for reactivating the document by a UN Security Council resolution.
“The Syrian government had agreed on the Document, but the fragmented “opposition” didn’t commit itself to it.”
“Moscow is ready to take part in the Ankara-proposed tripartite format of the Syrian political settlement involving Russia, Turkey and Iran,” Bogdanov said.
“We welcome any format and are prepared to join this Troika as, in our opinion, any dialogue formats and models of communication and exchange of opinions are positive and suitable for sharing our views and forecasts and for finding mutually acceptable solutions to extremely difficult problems Syria has encountered,” he added.
H. Moustafa/ SH