You Want Peace in Syria? Leave It Alone: Lavrov’s Take on Situation at Valdai Club in Moscow

"What can we do to liberate Syria from the shackles of war?" was one of the questions asked at the conference on the Middle East. It was held by the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow.

Anna Baldina with the details.

The virus of conflict.

How can we restore the region's immunity and deal with the consequences of the Arab Spring? The seventh conference of the Valdai Club on the Middle East had a record number of guests. Thirty countries with different, sometimes polar, opinions: Egypt and Israel Syria and Saudi Arabia. Diplomats and politicians joined the experts in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

 

During the opening ceremony, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urged the states to stop playing with fire and the political map. A hardball question from the floor: "Can Russia do more in Syria?" "It would be better if the US did less," says the Minister. The At Tanf safe zone in southern Syria turned into a zone of American influence. Humanitarian convoys can't reach it. Its safety is not guaranteed.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "The solution to Syrian conflict doesn't depend on what else we can do. It depends on what the US won't do. They'd better stop playing their dangerous games mutilating the state of Syria. It might become a serious issue jeopardizing the mission set by the UN Security Council to protect the sovereignty and structural integrity of Syria".

On the sidelines, Lavrov comments on the information of the foreign media about hundreds of Russian citizens being killed by an air strike in Deir ez-Zor.

Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "There's already been a statement. And I believe it was enough. I hope you're asking these questions because you're looking forward to a peaceful resolution. The information about hundreds and maybe even thousands of our citizens is a failed attempt at propaganda. Unfortunately, the war in Syria continues despite our progress in creating the de-escalation zones. I consider these attempts to be inappropriate, to say the least. The articles you're referring to come from a certain range of media that specialize in promoting hot news without concrete facts and the results of the ongoing investigation. Please, be patient. And don't forget about your professional fidelity to principles. There must be truth and only truth".