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| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo: http://government.ru |
Moscow: Coming out heavily to western nations
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that the western governments
are trying to blackmail Russia into supporting their interpretation of the
Syrian resolution adding that they have threatened to end the UN observer
mission if an agreement is not reached.
Russia gives its full support to
Kofi Annan’s peace plan, but some western powers have distorted the document’s
meaning to push for the removal of President Bashar Assad. The resolution
reached in New York does in no way stipulate the ouster of Assad, said Lavrov.
The head of the Russian Foreign
Office said that some Western countries twisted the wording of the Geneva
agreement to open the door to sanctions against Syria.
Russia has been accused of bias
towards President Assad’s regime after blocking previous Security Council
resolutions on the basis they were unbalanced. Lavrov emphasized that Moscow
does not take sides in the conflict and its only interest is to bring an end to
the bloodshed.
He leveled criticism at Western
nations for refusing diplomatic negotiations with President Assad.
Russia has urged its Western
partners to get behind Kofi Annan’s plan to end the Syrian conflict as it is
the only way to halt the violence.