Interfax: Moscow, Washington convinced conference on Syria should be held on Jan 22 – Russian Foreign Ministry

(Interfax – January 10, 2014) Russia and the United States share the opinion that it is necessary to hold the international conference on Syria in the time scheduled, on January 22, and consider military resolution in the Syrian conflict to be not viable, the Russian Foreign Ministry said following the Russian-U.S. consultations on Syria.

“The necessity to activate efforts aimed at calling the international conference on Syria in the time set, on January 22, 2014, has been confirmed. It has been emphasized that the Syrian crisis resolution is solely in the political and diplomatic range. The attempts to achieve military resolutions are not viable,” the Russian Foreign Ministry posted a statement on its website on Friday following the meeting held in Moscow.

Russia was represented at the meeting by Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Bogdanov and Gennady Gatilov, the U.S. – by Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Ambassador Robert Ford.

The participants of the consultations noted that the forum is aimed to start direct inter-Syrian talks on the basis of the Geneva communique, in the framework of which Syrians themselves will resolve issues of the country’s future structure.

“Russian representatives have emphasized the importance of joining efforts of the Syrian government and patriotically disposed opposition to fight terrorist groups, whose activities threaten not only Syria’s future but the regional stability as well,” the document said.

Comment