Lavrov: Military Settlement in Syria Path to ‘Mutual Destruction’

Russia warned on Wednesday both the Syrian government and the armed opposition that a military settlement in the crisis-hit country was a path to “mutual destruction.”

“It’s time to end this two-year conflict,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting with Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi and other top Arab diplomats.
“Neither side can allow itself to bet on a military settlement as this is a path to nowhere, a path to mutual destruction,” he said.

Lavrov, who on Monday is due to host Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem for crucial talks, said Moscow was working to encourage dialogue between the opposition and regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

“There are signs of positive tendencies, signs of tendencies for dialogue both from the side of the government and the opposition,” he said.

But he said it was up to the two sides to decide what kind of dialogue might take place and at what level.
“It is important that they do not come out with any conditions for each other and say that I am going to talk to this person but not that one.”