Ambassador Yakovenko on meeting with Syrian opposition in Moscow
We have been maintaining active contacts with different Syrian opposition groups on a regular basis. Ever since we started them last summer, we have met in Damascus, some European and regional capitals, as well as in Moscow. We have many times declared and now reiterate our willingness to engage in a substantial dialogue with any opposition leaders advocating for political crisis settlement.
We estimate that the crucial point has now been reached in the Syrian events. The UN/LAS Envoy’s efforts unanimously supported by the UN Security Council made possible the 12 April comprehensive ceasefire. Despite individual violations and provocative acts, the truce has been generally observed. A failure of this major effort would have threatened a roll-back to a new spiral of violence and degradation of the situation in Syria. Basically, Syria is now facing two options – to engage in a nationwide peace dialogue or to sink into a civil war – and each side to the conflict is to make their choice.
At this point the main goal is to consolidate the truce. These efforts will only be successful if the UN mission set to monitor the truce and the comprehensive cessation of all forms of violence as provided by the UN Security Council Resolution 2042 is deployed immediately. We are glad that on 19 April the Syrian government and the advance team of UN observers have reached a preliminary deal on rules governing the deployment of observers in the territory of Syria.
However, the degree of constructiveness manifested by the government of Syria and opposition groups towards further implementation of the Envoy’s plan is no less significant. Above all, this is about them showing the willingness to establish contacts, whether direct or mediated, and to engage in an inclusive dialogue, which is crucial for reaching a political solution.
We are on no account going to promote, still less impose, any ready-made solutions, however, we offer a wide range of arguments for peace and normalization of the situation in the country that sound meaningful for all patriotically-minded Syrian politicians. We have been and will always be ready to do good services to support this process. We are convinced that at this point we all need to focus on ensuring success of Kofi Annan’s plan. We expect that all the other external players, like Russia, will make every effort to contribute to its implementation.
A delegation of the National Committee for Democratic Change has visited Moscow this week. Next week, we anticipate the arrival of representatives of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation in Syria. Other delegations and politicians, including members of the Syrian National Council, are to visit Moscow as well.
Question (addressed to US Secretary of State John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov): After your recent discussions, including on Syria and the episode of detention of a US Embassy official in Moscow on a charge of espionage, do you think that your collective work is constructive? Sergey Lavrov (answers after John Kerry): Regarding the incident of the detention of a US Embassy official in Moscow that you have mentioned, everything, that the Russian party wished to say about it, was said yesterday in the comment of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. I have nothing to add.
Dear Mr Chairman,Dear colleagues, friends, First of all, I would like to thank our Swedish hosts for their hospitality, good organization of the today’s meeting and to congratulate Mr Carl Bildt with the results that were reached by the Arctic Council under Swedish chairmanship.
Today we sign the second in history legally binding panarctic document – Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic. This is another evidence of high responsibility of Arctic countries for the state of affairs in the region. The next is the preparation of the Agreement on Marine Oil Spill Prevention.
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