RUSSIA: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia and China will stand firm against intervention in Syria, while Moscow will offer Washington no explanation for arms deliveries to Damascus

Record ID: 280160

  • Title: RUSSIA: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia and China will stand firm against intervention in Syria, while Moscow will offer Washington no explanation for arms deliveries to Damascus
  • Date: 19th January 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JANUARY 18, 2012) (REUTERS) SERGEI LAVROV GIVING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "The approach of our Western partners is one-sided. And they are categorically determined to exclude from the (U.N.) resolution the phrase that (says) nothing in it can be interpreted as allowing the use of force." CAMER
  • Embargoed: 3rd February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAF9UXDI0I5QNH3L04062QYWM4
  • Story Text: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov used his annual news conference on Wednesday (January 18, 2012) to send a tough message on Syria to the West.
    Russia joined China in October to veto a Western-backed resolution against Assad's government, saying the domestic opposition shared blame for the violence and that it would have opened the door for military action like NATO's Libya operation.
    Russia submitted its own draft resolution last month and proposed a new version this week, but Lavrov indicated the council was deeply divided over the issue of where blame lies for the bloodshed and the possibility of military intervention.
    "The approach of our Western partners is one-sided. And they are categorically determined to exclude from the (U.N.) resolution the phrase that (says) nothing in it can be interpreted as allowing the use of force," Sergei Lavrov said.
    He said that Russia and China will oppose any sanctions on Syria.
    "We will insist - and we have an understanding with our Chinese colleagues that this is our common position - that these fundamental points be retained in any decision that may be taken by the U.N. Security Council. The red line for us is quite clear - we will not support any sanctions, because unilateral sanctions have been imposed without any consultation with Russia or China. And now they want to backdate it in the Security Council to make us enshrine those decisions which we believe are unnecessary and which have been taken without our consent," the Russian Foreign Minister said.
    Russia has been the most vocal supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a 10-month government crackdown that the United Nations says has killed more than 5,000 civilians, refusing to join calls for him to step down.
    Sergei Lavrov said Russia and China would stand firm against any foreign intervention in Syria.
    "If somebody intends to use force by any means - and I've already heard calls for the intervention of some Arab troops - we will hardly be able to prevent this. Especially if somebody wants to do something like this so much. But let it happen on their own initiative. Let it be on their conscience. They will not receive any authority from the Security Council," Lavrov said.
    The Russian Foreign Minister also said he will offer Washington no explanation for arms deliveries to Syria following a Russian-operated ship carrying what a Cypriot official said was bullets arrived in Tartus last week from St. Petersburg after being held up in Cyprus. The U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said on Tuesday (January 17) that the United States would have very grave concern about arms flows into Syria from any source and that it was unfortunate there was no U.N. arms embargo on Syria.
    Asked for a reply at the news conference, Lavrov said there was no need for an explanation.
    "With regards to the statement by (U.S. envoy to the United Nations) Susan Rice who expressed concern about the fact that our ship - I think it's called Chered - with Russian cargo - offloaded in a Syrian port, and I even heard that she even demanded some explanations. We don't consider it necessary to explain ourselves or justify ourselves, because we are not violating any international agreements or any Security Council resolutions," Lavrov said.
    Syria accounted for 7 percent of Russia's total of $10 billion in arms deliveries abroad in 2010, according to the Russian defense think tank CAST.
    An unnamed military source was quoted as saying in December that Russia had delivered anti-ship Yakhont missiles to Syria.
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