No peace can come to Syria without Assad – Lavrov
Posted on November 19th, 2015
RT
All the forecasts made by our colleagues in the West and some other parties that the people would rise up and oust him never came true. This means one thing: Assad represents the interests of a significant part of Syrian society. So no peaceful solution can be found without his participation,” the top Russian diplomat said on Thursday in an interview with Radio Russia.
Earlier US President Barack Obama reiterated he does not foresee a situation in which we can end the civil war in Syria while Assad remains in power” and that he is not the legitimate leader of Syria.
According to Lavrov, senior officials around the world are coming to realize the truth of Russia’s position on the issue and are beginning to distance themselves from Washington’s policies. Eradicating Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) should take precedence over all other issues, he added.
I believe that [French President Francois] Hollande’s call to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin after those horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, his suggestion to coordinate our efforts and President [Putin’s] response, which was the willingness to do so as allies – those things signify that now level-headed politicians are dropping secondary issues and realizing the need to concentrate on the biggest issue at hand: stopping ISIS’ attempts to spread influence globally,” the minister said.
Lavrov reminded that countries, such as France or Assad’s long-time enemy Turkey, had earlier insisted the Syrian president should go immediately and called him a magnet for Islamic State.
This logic dictates that not only Assad is a magnet for ISIS, but also Lebanon, Turkey, France and Egypt,” Lavrov said, naming the four countries where the terrorist group staged successful attacks in October and November. ISIS is trying to achieve its goal of creating this so-called caliphate regardless of what happens in Syria and the attitude that anyone has towards Bashar Assad.”
The attacks in Paris were some of the worst instances of violence that Europe has seen in decades. It is believed that groups affiliated with IS planted a bomb on a Russian passenger plane in Egypt and organized bombings in Ankara and Beirut. The combined death toll from the four attacks stands at almost 500.
Russia is calling on the US-led coalition to join forces and defeat IS, arguing that a peaceful resolution will only be possible in Syria after violence is stopped.
We are currently acting in Syria legally and are willing to cooperate in practice with the members of the [US-led] coalition that are prepared to respect Syria’s sovereignty and the goals of the Syrian government,” Lavrov said.
He added that IS terrorist attacks are a threat to world peace and stability and fall under Article 7 of the UN Charter, which allows the UN Security Council to use force.
I am certain that we must pass a UN Security Council resolution, which would state the need to act in accordance with Chapter 7 of the UN Charter and destroy ISIS. The same as we did after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001,” Lavrov said.
He added that Russia proposed a draft resolution to the UNSC that would call on all nations to join forces against IS in September, but it was opposed by other members of the security body.
Our Western partners said they didn’t like that the resolution stated that anti-terrorist operations should be coordinated with the governments of the states, where such operations take place,” Lavrov said. Unfortunately we see the willingness to band together on an anti-terrorist platform only after tragedies. I hope more will not occur – even though it cannot be guaranteed – and that we can act preemptively. Terrorists don’t quarrel; they manage to agree pretty well.”
November 19th, 2015 at 3:12 pm
Well said Lavrov. Hope they stick to their guns. For peace to come to middle east the despotic dictator family of SAUDI must go.
November 19th, 2015 at 5:40 pm
The Americans and Saudis want to build an oil pipeline to Turkey through Syria for which Assad opposes. That is why they created ISIS to remove Assad. ISIS attacks everyone including all non muslim Arabs, but not Israel. Why?
November 20th, 2015 at 12:09 am
“To Forgive The Terrorists Is Up To God, But To Send Them To Him is my Duty” – PUTIN
http://watchdognews.net/to-forgive-the-terrorists-is-up-to-god-but-to-send-them-to-him-is-my-duty-putin/
Fortunately for Tamils , Buddhism has no such forgiveness by a disable God.
November 20th, 2015 at 12:30 am
Sarath, elaborate ISLAMIC STATE flags were NOT made in China, as every other flag is now produced. They were made in Israel.
ISLAMIC STATE will kill Christians, Muslims, Buddhists,Zoroastrians and Hindus. It will kill Arabs and non Arabs but never someone from Israel. I wonder why?
When Syrian forces had once cornered a ISIS group last year, Israeli planes started to bomb the Syrians. I wonder why?
Injured ISIS fighters end up in Israeli hospitals, I wonder why?
ISIS received weapons from CIA and ISIS birth was planned in Pentagon. French President should ask questions from Obama administration. Sadly, every West European leader is aware of this drama, none has guts to say these in open in diplomatic circles. American idea is to fully destroy Middle Eastern nations one by one. Arabs are quarreling amongst themselves. They got no idea what is coming to them.
November 20th, 2015 at 1:12 pm
LIONEL !! Slight correction. No Offense. **But to send them to him is upto me**
November 20th, 2015 at 2:18 pm
“To Forgive The Terrorists Is Up To God, But To Send Them To Him is my Duty” – PUTIN
EXCELLENT!
In dependent,
But god MR forgave them. 11,000 of them and KP, KA, Pillayan, etc.
November 20th, 2015 at 3:14 pm
LORENZO !! Appears that you too have missed the correct clip. **is upto me** and not “”is my Duty””
TO FORGIVE THE TERRORISTS IS UP TO GOD, BUT TO SEND THEM TO HIM IS UP TO ME. This is what appears in the news clip.
November 20th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
Susantha,
Lionel here.
But “my duty” is better. As the leader , it is not “up to him”, must be “his duty”. As a dictator, it is “up to him”. I consider him as the only world leader ( besides Rajapakse , of courser , sorry).
November 20th, 2015 at 3:45 pm
SW,
No.
This is EXACTLY what is says.
““To Forgive The Terrorists Is Up To God, But To Send Them To Him is my Duty” – PUTIN
November 19th, 2015 Nkechi Nwosu World”
November 20th, 2015 at 5:34 pm
LORENZO !!
NO NO NO.
THAT IS NOT WHAT PUTIN SAID. I DO NOT KNOW FROM WHERE YOU GOT IT. HE DID NOT, REPEAT HE
DID NOT SAY **IS MY DUTY** HE SAID **IS UP TO ME **
IS UP TO GOD….IS UP TO ME
I HAVE IT SAVED. I MADE SURE I AM NOT MAKING A MISTAKE. IAM 100% RIGHT.
YOU APPEAR TO BE SPITEFUL FOR SOME REASON. PLEASE DONT BRING SPITE AND HATRED INTO THIS FORUM.
November 20th, 2015 at 7:43 pm
SW,
“YOU APPEAR TO BE SPITEFUL FOR SOME REASON. PLEASE DONT BRING SPITE AND HATRED INTO THIS FORUM.”
Come on SW. I have never brought spite and hatred to ANY forum!!
Just because we disagree on “is my duty” and “is up to me”??
Lets say it is “is up to me” and NOT “is my duty”. What difference it makes?
November 21st, 2015 at 8:03 am
OK INDEPENDANT !! I AGREE IF YOU SEE SOMETHING BETTER IN CHANGING THE PHRASE. AGREE.
LORENZO !! INDEPENDANT HAS EXPLAINED THE DIFFERENCE. I NEED NOT ELUCIDATE ANY FURTHER. YOU ARE MISREPRESENTING THE ACTUAL NEWS ITEM. INDEPENDANT CHANGED THE PHRASE FOR A REASON.
I WAS BEING EMPHATIC ON THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION.
November 22nd, 2015 at 12:33 pm
OBAMA is a MUSLIM. What he said today in Malaysia is not to be hard on IS terrorists. Aravinda, what has your comments got to do with Sri Lanka? Why are you not writing about Samantha Powers? Getting Kappan from her? You say Arabs are fighting among themselves and destroying their countries. This started when time began. Mohamed and Allah, both were killed. So where is your logic? Dis-information is complicated and action by Israel is also complicated. Why are you not talking about MR’s Billion Dollar account by Mangala Samaraweera. Read it and see how he feeds it in to people like you for digestion.