Moscow: Syrian-Russian-Iranian meeting discussed situation in Syria

Russian Foreign Ministry announced Thursday that a tripartite meeting took place in Moscow today between Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Ministry Walid al-Moallem and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

The Ministry said in a brief statement that the meeting discussed the situation in Syria in light of the preparations for holding the international Geneva 2 conference, scheduled on January 22.

SANA correspondent learned from sources within the Syrian delegation who participated in the tripartite meeting that the discussions focused on the preparations underway to hold the conference and the need to invite Iran to it given its powerful presence and important role in the region and constructive stances in efforts to solve the crisis in Syria.

Presidential Political and Media Advisor Buthaina Shaaban and Syria’s Ambassador in Moscow Riyad Haddad attended the meeting.

Al-Moallem to hold meeting with Lavrov tomorrow

Earlier, Press and Media Department at Russian Foreign Ministry released a statement in which it announced that al-Moallem will meet Lavrov in Moscow on Friday and that the meeting will focus on preparations for the international conference on Syria, Geneva 2 .

The statement stressed that al-Moallem will touch upon the problem of implementing the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2118 and the feasible aid by the Russian side in implementing the plan of destroying the chemical weapons of Syria with focus on the importance of overcoming the standing difficulties of this process.

The statement pointed out that the upcoming meeting will discuss prospects of continuing the objective sides of Russian-Syria mutual relations and issues in addition to topics related to Russia’s humanitarian aid to the Syrian people.

The statement clarified that the international conference, Geneva 2, is supposed to launch a comprehensive inter-Syrian dialogue with the participation of the delegations of the Syrian government and ‘the opposition’ based on Geneva communique issued on June 30, 2012 without preconditions.

It stressed that the solutions that will be reached to are supposed to be the fruit of agreement among the Syrian sides, as solutions cannot be imposed by any one on any side participating in the talks.

The statement pointed out that the Syrian government has ratified the list of its official delegation to the conference, expressing regret that ‘the opposition’ has not been able to do that so far.

It also expressed hope to hear the approval of ‘the opposition’ with which the U.S. partners are working as soon as possible.

The statement stressed that Russia is determined to work closely side by side with the U.S. partners and the UN for creating a convenient atmosphere on eve of the international conference and for helping the government and ‘the opposition’ take numerous of tangible steps of a humanitarian feature.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that the vagueness of the Syrian opposition’s position on attending the international conference on Syria “Geneva 2” represents the main hurdle for launching Geneva 2.

He stressed that the Syrian government confirmed its participation in Geneva 2 a long time ago without preconditions.