Russia accuses US of contradictory Syrian signals
Source: Agencies |
June 22, 2013, Saturday
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RUSSIA'S foreign minister said yesterday that Washington is sending contradictory signals on Syria that could derail an international conference intended to end the civil war, warning that US talk about a possible no-fly zone would only encourage the rebels to keep fighting.
Sergey Lavrov also criticized demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step down.
"Not because we like the regime, not because we want the regime to stay, but because it's for the Syrians to decide," Lavrov said. "And to say you must capitulate and deliver the power to us is just not realistic."
In addition, he dismissed allegations by the US, Britain and France that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that his country signed a contract for the delivery of S-300 state-of-the-art air defense missile systems to Syria, but said it hasn't been fulfilled yet.
Lavrov defended the S-300 deal, pointing to the deployment of US Patriot air defense missiles and fighter jets to neighboring Jordan.
"The contract on S-300s is absolutely legal, it's transparent and it's fully in line with the international norms and with the Russian export control legislation," he said.
"Second, the contract hasn't been yet finalized. Third, the Americans are leaving Patriots after this exercise in Jordan, together with F-16 planes, and no one is asking them not to do this. The region is really full of weapons, including offensive weapons which have been supplied in the past to the countries of the region, and some of these weapons are infiltrating into Syria."
He said supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition, which have been promised by Washington and are being considered by the European Union, would be a "very big mistake."
Lavrov was asked if Russia is warning the West in particular against providing the rebels with shoulder-fired air defense missiles that could challenge Assad's air dominance.
He replied: "We believe this is absolutely illegitimate, and we aren't going to legitimize it by starting discussing some conditions on which these supplies could be justified."
He said that while the US says it favors sponsoring a Syria peace conference in Geneva, it has made statements that have sent a conflicting signal to the rebels. Lavrov said US talk about a possible no-fly zone in particular has encouraged the opposition to step up fighting instead of sitting down for talks.
"The message the opposition is getting: Guys, don't go to Geneva, don't say you are going to negotiate with the regime, soon things will change in your favor," Lavrov said.
Sergey Lavrov also criticized demands that Syrian President Bashar Assad step down.
"Not because we like the regime, not because we want the regime to stay, but because it's for the Syrians to decide," Lavrov said. "And to say you must capitulate and deliver the power to us is just not realistic."
In addition, he dismissed allegations by the US, Britain and France that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that his country signed a contract for the delivery of S-300 state-of-the-art air defense missile systems to Syria, but said it hasn't been fulfilled yet.
Lavrov defended the S-300 deal, pointing to the deployment of US Patriot air defense missiles and fighter jets to neighboring Jordan.
"The contract on S-300s is absolutely legal, it's transparent and it's fully in line with the international norms and with the Russian export control legislation," he said.
"Second, the contract hasn't been yet finalized. Third, the Americans are leaving Patriots after this exercise in Jordan, together with F-16 planes, and no one is asking them not to do this. The region is really full of weapons, including offensive weapons which have been supplied in the past to the countries of the region, and some of these weapons are infiltrating into Syria."
He said supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition, which have been promised by Washington and are being considered by the European Union, would be a "very big mistake."
Lavrov was asked if Russia is warning the West in particular against providing the rebels with shoulder-fired air defense missiles that could challenge Assad's air dominance.
He replied: "We believe this is absolutely illegitimate, and we aren't going to legitimize it by starting discussing some conditions on which these supplies could be justified."
He said that while the US says it favors sponsoring a Syria peace conference in Geneva, it has made statements that have sent a conflicting signal to the rebels. Lavrov said US talk about a possible no-fly zone in particular has encouraged the opposition to step up fighting instead of sitting down for talks.
"The message the opposition is getting: Guys, don't go to Geneva, don't say you are going to negotiate with the regime, soon things will change in your favor," Lavrov said.
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