US Bill on Sanctions against Syria ‘Strange’

MOSCOW-The bill on sanctions against Syria and its allies, passed by the US House of Representatives is rather strange, Russia’s Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said, Itar Tass reported.

“This is all very strange,” he told reporters. “Since the first Geneva Communique we have been stressing that representatives of the Syrian government as well as opposition members and all the groups of the civil society should take part in the talks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is the country’s legitimate leader, his government is also legitimate according to international documents agreed on with the US, Turkey, Arab countries, five permanent member states of the UN Security Council, as well as other legitimate participants of the negotiation process on a political solution to the conflict.

 On November 15, the US House of Representatives passed by voice vote a measure imposing new sanctions on anyone who provides the Syrian government with financial, material or technological support, including Russia and Iran. The bill will now be reviewed by the Senate.

Russia welcomes any efforts to restart intra-Syrian talks

Bogdanov also said that Russia welcomes any moves that will help restart intra-Syrian negotiations.

We welcome any events towards preparing an inclusive intra-Syrian dialog under the UN aegis, as we agreed,” said Bogdanov, who is also Russian president’s special envoy for the Middle East and Africa.

“I hope such events – in Damascus and in other places – will help consolidate Syrians on a constructive basis, preserve Syria as a sovereign state, restore the economy, social sphere so that internally displaced people and those who found themselves on the border could return,” Bogdanov said.

This necessitates “an inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue within the framework of which the Syrian people themselves must decide the future of their country,” Bogdanov added. “The issues of security guarantees (for this meeting) must be addressed to the Syrian authorities,” he added.

Moscow is not losing the hope that the potential developed by Russia and the United States on settlement in Syria will be used, he went on.

Ryabkov: Bill aimed at Regime Change in Damascus

Also, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS that the adoption by the House of Representatives of the US Congress of a bill on sanctions against Syria and its allies is in line with Washington’s policy on toppling the legitimate government in Damascus,.

“This move is in line with the course not hidden by many politicians and officials in favor of changing the legitimate government in Damascus,” Ryabkov said.

“This is an unprecedented attempt to introduce sanctions against anyone who cooperates with Damascus,” he added.

The cooperation of Moscow and Damascus won’t be affected by the US initiatives to introduce sanctions against Syria and its allies, Ryabkov added:

“I’m sure that regardless of the fate of this bill, and apparently it will be further considered on the Capitoline Hill, this will be a zero effect or even opposite to what these actors expect.”

“I’m confident that our cooperation with Damascus won’t be affected at all by such initiatives,” he added.

Instead of joining the common front of struggle against terrorism the United States has isolated itself from external impulses to stew in its own juice, the diplomat said.

“It is clear that there can be only one way out. Those people confuse the cause and the consequence to such a great degree that they have isolated themselves from external impulses and stew in their own juice,” Ryabkov said. “Instead of presenting a common front against terrorism, which is a trans-border threat, an attempt is being made once again to replace the authorities of a sovereign country by force.”

H.M