Syria settlement delayed due to Obama's team, with Trump things might change - FM Lavrov
The situation with peace talks on Syria is currently "more favorable" for things to really get better in the war-torn country, Russia's FM Sergey Lavrov has said. Obama's team slowed down the process, but under Trump things might improve, according to the diplomat.
"We are currently in the situation... that is much more favorable to start working on a real settlement of the crisis. We were close to it in September last year, but the Americans failed to implement an agreement which had been coordinated with us earlier, which once more confirmed the Obama's administration inability to negotiate on many issues," Russia's foreign minister said in an interview with Russian television channel NTV.
"They took an agreement, and then couldn't do anything [within it]," Sergey Lavrov said, adding that "largely because of Obama's reluctance to have an argument with some countries in the region," a settlement through the UN's participation "turned to [result in] zero progress."
Moscow could no longer rely on such dragging partnerships, Russia's top diplomat said, adding that a decision has been made to taken action in other ways, such as through Russian-Turkish relations.
"We know that Turkey has influenced and continues to influence a very considerable number of field commanders," Lavrov said, noting that Moscow's cooperation with Ankara resulted in a ceasefire agreement in Syria in late December last year.
"I want to make it clear: we've already said on different levels that we are not trying to undermine UN's efforts [in resolving the Syrian crisis]. Although our initiative was largely based on [others'] inaction, we understand that much more sides should be involved in peace talks than those currently working on Astana [negotiations]," Lavrov told NTV. There should be more participants both from Syria and "players from the outside," he added.
Parallel to the Astana peace process, Moscow is preparing for talks under the auspices of the United Nations, the minister said, adding that so far such a meeting has been confirmed for February 20.
Talking of Moscow's expectations of those talks, Lavrov said that the "whims" of some Syrian opposition groups' leaders, "especially of those who have long been living outside Syria," should not be taken into consideration. "If it once again becomes a hindrance to hold UN talks, then the organization's reputation will be seriously damaged," Lavrov said.
Meanwhile, Russia has been actively involved in meetings on Syria in Astana, where talks with the participation of Ankara and Tehran have recently finished. The sides have generally agreed details on cease fire monitoring, the minister said, adding that the agreements reached "will soon be implemented." Efforts to summon more fighting groups in Syria to join in talks with the Syrian government are also in the works, he added.
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Saying that US representatives were present at the first meeting in Astana as monitors, Lavrov confirmed that an invitation has been sent to Washington to take part in the talks once a new team on the Middle East and Syria is formed under the incoming Trump administration.
Moscow is fully aware that relations between the US and Iran have deteriorated with Trump's arrival in the White House, Lavrov said, but added that Russia "stands for common sense."
"If US President Trump's main priority on the international arena is fighting terrorism, then it should be admitted that in Syria not only the Syrian army supported by Russian Air Force are fighting ISIL [Islamic State terrorist group, IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL], but also Hezbollah groups supported by Iran [are involved in the anti-terrorist fight]," Lavrov said. "There's a choice of priorities here."
The minister added that while Americans are known for their "pragmatic" policies, it "wouldn't be pragmatic to just precariously exclude Iran from the anti-terrorist coalition." Russia, on its side, "always treats any country's stance with respect," he said, having expressed Moscow's willingness to discuss any ways to solve the crisis, "even those that absolutely contradict" Russia's views.
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"I am sure that Donald Trump is absolutely sincere when he every time confirms his determination to defeat IS. We are ready to cooperate with him," Lavrov said, having expressed hopes that cooperation between Russian and American military in Syria "will soon start to form again."
