Moscow: Talks with Damascus continues… There are problems with the new authorities in Syria and the dialogue is not going well
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow sees problems with the new authorities in Syria, considering that dialogue isn’t going well inside the country.
During the Valdai conference, Lavrov added that attempts to exclude Russia, China and Iran from the settlement efforts in Syria aren’t based on good intentions, but rather reveal the West’s plans to remove competitors from the Syrian scene and turn them into second-class participants.
He continued, “It;s necessary to work very actively and constructively in Syria, not to score geopolitical points but based on the future of the Syrian people and to promote national dialogue, and for this it’s important to unify the efforts of all external parties”.
Lavrov pointed out that Russia believes that Israel plans to remain in Syria and Lebanon, after penetrating the two countries’ territories.
The Kremlin announced on Monday that Russia is continuing its talks with Damascus on several issues, including the fate of two Russian military bases in Syria.
“Our delegation recently held talks in Damascus, and we agreed to continue contacts, and we will continue dialogue on all issues, including agreements on Russia’s use of its naval base in Tartus,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference.
Russia, which supported the ousted Assad regime, seeks to retain its naval base in Tartus and the Hmeimim air base in the Latakia countryside.
