RUSSIA: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Geneva talks should not set Syria government makeup (RTV)

Record ID: 281164

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Geneva talks should not set Syria government makeup (RTV)
  • Date: 29th June 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 28, 2012) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY GUEST HOUSE VARIOUS RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV AND TUNISIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RAFIK ABDESSALAM ARRIVING AND TAKING SEATS JOURNALISTS VARIOUS OF LAVROV AND ABDESSALAM AT TALKS TALKS IN PROGRESS LAVROV AND ABDESSALAM TAKING SEATS FOR SIGNING OF AGREEMENT AND NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS LAVRO
  • Embargoed: 14th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA32W3KL9CLANUWIAC7WCPFLLCB
  • Story Text: Multilateral talks on U.N. envoy Kofi Annan's Syrian mediation plan should seek to secure a ceasefire but not determine in advance the shape of a possible government of national unity, Russia said on Thursday (June 28).
    "The meeting in Geneva was intended to support Kofi Annan's plan and it must set the conditions for the end of violence and the start of an all-Syrian national dialogue, and not predetermine the contents of this dialogue," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists in Moscow.
    Lavrov is expected to discuss Annan's proposal, aimed at ending the 16-month conflict in Syria, with the other four permanent U.N. Security Council members and key players in the Middle East in Geneva on Saturday (June 30).
    Russia and other global powers have told Annan that they support his idea of a Syrian national unity cabinet that could include government and opposition members but would exclude those whose participation would undermine it.
    The idea of excluding certain people from any national unity cabinet was seen by diplomats as referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, although Annan's proposal did not explicitly say the Syrian leader could not serve in a national unity government.
    Moscow has backed Annan's peace plan, insisting it is the only way to end the bloodshed in Syria and arguing firmly against any kind of military intervention.
    Speaking in Moscow, Lavrov said that the Annan plan was not, however, a final document and he expressed dismay that it had been leaked to the media ahead of the Geneva talks.
    Lavrov reiterated Russian warnings against a Libyan-style intervention in Syria.
    "In all consequences we publicly explain our attitude, we say that such plans (of Libyan-style intervention in Syria) will have catastrophic consequences. This is true, one needs only to look at the result of the NATO operation in Libya (to understand that it is true)," he said.
    He also criticised the exclusion of Iran from the Geneva negotiations.
    "We are talking about putting an end to bloodshed in Syria now. There is no doubt that Iran, along with other countries of the region, is an influential player in this situation and it would be a mistake to leave it outside the Geneva meeting," Lavrov said.
    Annan has said that Iran should attend the Geneva talks but diplomats say that the United States, Saudi Arabia and other countries objected.
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