Russian President’s Spokesman: Syria’s Future Determined by Parties Concerned in Syria

MOSCOW – ROME , (ST)- Spokesman for Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, has affirmed that his country is convinced that the future of Syria is determined by the parties concerned in Syria and not abroad and Moscow’s position on the crisis in Syria is characterized with its communication with all parties of the conflict to ensure the comprehensive dialogue.
Russia Today’s website quoted Peskov as saying yesterday that “Russia’s position on the crisis in Syria is unique because we communicate not only with one side but with the government of President Bashar Al-Assad, which we consider a legitimate president and legitimate ruler of Syria and with the representatives of the opposition.”
“We are working with our international partners in order to ensure dialogue between all Syrian parties concerned and do it without any pressure,” noting that his country appreciates the willingness of the opposition for dialogue, which must begin in Damascus between President Al- Assad and the opposition,” the spokesman said.

For his part, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister,Gennady Gatilov, confirmed the importance of reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria and convincing all parties to sit at the table of dialogue, explaining that one of the reasons of the lack of progress in resolving this crisis is that Western countries do not make the necessary efforts with the opposition.
In his talk with reporters in the wake of the ministerial meeting on the problems of reforming the UN Security Council, which was held at the initiative of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Italy and Spain in Rome, Gatilov said: “The task is to try to reach a solution to the crisis in Syria politically and persuade the two sides with the need to sit around the negotiating table and start looking for ways to solve those problems that have accumulated in this country and ultimately determine its future.”
“If the opposition realized that there is no way out of the crisis but a political settlement and dialogue with the government, the issue would move from the point of the standstill,” Gatilov added.

Sh. Kh.