No Military Solution to Crisis in Syria, Says Zarif
Davos – Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif said on Wednesday that there is no military solution to crisis in Syria.
Addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zarif said, ‘ Crisis in Syria has no military solution; rather, we should reach a solution based on which Syrian people can hold talks with each other.’
He said over the past three and half years, we have repeatedly emphasized that we should not predict the outcome of the talks and judge on that basis.’
He added, ‘This is our strategy of talks in the Astana session in Kazakhstan and Russia, Iran and Turkey are striving within the same framework; We hope that all the parties to the ceasefire in Syria will come for talks in Astana and end “violence” in the country.’
The minister also referred to the UN efforts to solve crisis in Syria and said, ‘The Astana session is not in contradiction with or a substitute for efforts of other international institutions aiming to solve the crisis in Syria. All parties should try to prepare the ground for a successful future for Syria.’
Asked to comment on the US President-elect Donald Trump and his government’s approach towards Iran, Zarif said, ‘We should wait and see, then judge.’
‘The government of Mr. (Barack) Obama did not act sincerely and due to the same reason, Iranian people’s view on the US policies on Iran is not positive.’
To a question on change in the world international equations, Zarif said, ‘Other governments and alliance of certain groups of countries do not run international affairs. There will be no security in a country if no security exists in another country.’
He added, ‘Terrorism, extremism and violence threaten all of us and we should confront it collectively.’
‘When trying to solve crisis in Syria, Iran and Russia announced explicitly that there is no limit for terrorism.’
Mogherini, Zarif review Syria developments
Meanwhile, the EU Foreign Affairs Chief, Federica Mogherini, said on Wednesday that talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif mainly focused on current developments in Syria as well as Iran’s nuclear deal.
Mogherini wrote on her Twitter on Wednesday that the meeting was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos of Switzerland.
Zarif, leading an Iranian delegation, arrived in Davos on Tuesday evening to attend an unofficial consultative meeting about Syria.
Zarif met foreign ministers of Switzerland and Finland during his stay in Switzerland.
The 47th World Economic Forum with participation of world politico-economic leaders opened on Tuesday and will run for four working days.
IRNA
R.S