Lavrov: Solving crisis in Syria necessitates unifying efforts to combat terrorism and extremism

Sunday 26 October 2014

Lavrov: Solving crisis in Syria necessitates unifying efforts to combat terrorism and extremism

25/10/2014
Moscow, SANA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it is impossible to solve the crisis in Syria without unifying the international community’s efforts in combating terrorism and extremism.

In an interview with Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) published on Saturday, Lavrov pointed out that the terrorists have created their own entity where slavery, human trafficking and killing on ethnic basis have been devoted.

He reiterated his country’s stance on supporting both the Syrian and Iraqi governments in combating the extremists, calling for enhancing the international efforts to confront the terrorist threat.

Lavrov said “the efforts exerted in combating terrorism should be based on the international law under the supervision of the UN Security Council as a body that shoulder responsibility for maintaining the international security and peace,” reiterating that that Russia doesn’t join the US-led international coalition.

He added that the air strikes launched by the US against positions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) stir serious inquires.

Lavrov affirmed his country’s stances on the need for finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria, away from using military force, asserting the necessity of the Syrians to determine their destiny through comprehensive dialogue, far from any foreign interference.

The Russian Foreign Minister expressed his country’s readiness to support the Syrian people to find political solutions and cooperate with its partners for reaching a comprehensive political settlement in Syria based on Geneva Communiqué of June 30, 2012.

“The absence of a solution to the Palestinian cause is one of the main factors which help the extremists control the minds of the youths and attracting them ,” he said.

During his meeting last Tuesday with Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Lavrov stressed that Russia will fully support all efforts to resume the political process in Syria .

He also expressed Moscow’s readiness to continue its support to the efforts exerted for resuming dialogue among the Syrians.

H. Zain/ Ghossoun/ Mazen