Lavrov: We Hope Syrian “Opposition” Will Support Russian-US Agreement on Implementing Geneva Statement
STOCKHOLM-MOSCOW, (ST) – Moscow hopes that the Russian-American agreement on Syria will be supported by the Syrian “opposition”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergi Lavrov announced on Wednesday.
“We know that the “Syrian opposition” will hold a meeting in Istanbul. There will be another meeting in Madrid to which the Syrian internal opposition, particularly the National Coordination Committee, will be invited,” Lavrov said in a statement.
He stressed that “it is important that participants in the meeting will announce their clear support for the Russian-American initiative to implement Geneva statement.”
Last week, Russia and the United States agreed on supporting political solution in Syria through calling for holding an international conference on Syria to enhance the principles of Geneva statement signed on June 30th, 1012.
On Tuesday and following his meeting with his US counterpart John Kerry in Sweden, Lavrov stressed that both Russia and the United States see that the forthcoming international conference on Syria should be held in Geneva. He pointed out that it will be held at the level of foreign ministers not leaders of states.
“What is most important at the moment is to get the Syrian government and opposition’s announcement of their readiness to support this initiative,” Lavrov said, describing the statement issued by the Syrian government on the conference as positive.
The Russian Minister said that the opposition has had no comment so far on this issue, pointing out that he discussed with the US State Secretary the necessity that the Americans should use all possible means to force the opposition to form a delegation to take part in the conference.
H. Mustafa