Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on all Syrian opposition groups to unite in the fight against terrorism in the local region. The
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called on all Syrian opposition groups to unite in the fight against terrorism in the local region.
The appeal came after two rounds of talks in Geneva failed to settle the crisis in war-torn Syria. Lavrov labelled the situation in the country “unacceptable,” saying circumstances had deteriorated in recent months both in the country and across the Middle East.
“Among other things, it is necessary to help unify all the opposition groups, on a constructive basis, on a basis formed first of all from concern about the future of Syria, about saving it as an integral state, in which all the ethnic and religious groups feel protected,” he said.
Haytham Manna, leader of the new Cairo Conference Committee, joined Lavrov in Moscow. An exiled representative of the National Coordination Committe for Democratic Change, he acknowledged the current situation in Syria complicates the fight against terrorism and called for the Geneva talks to be resumed.
Manna’s visit came a day after Lavrov met Khaled Khoja, the leader of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition opposition group.
He accused Russia of not being committed to keeping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power.