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Humanitarian aid to Syria should not be a pretext for armed interference

Russia hopes the provision of humanitarian aid to Syria will not be used as a pretext for armed interference

MOSCOW, February 24 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia hopes the provision of humanitarian aid to Syria will not be used as a pretext for armed interference. “We hope that will not happen,” Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Tass on Friday adding the issue will be discussed with the new UN Middle East envoy Kofi Annan shortly.

“One of his tasks is to promote a broad and inclusive dialogue between the Syrians with the participation of representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition,” he said adding Russia had attentively studied Annan’s mandate.

“We are ready to provide maximum efficient support to Kofi Annan in his new quality and on the basis of his mission. I believe we shall contact Kofi Annan shortly. He is a man who deserves the highest praise and respect for his work as the UN secretary general,” Bogdanov said.

“He has just been appointed and we shall contact him to agree on a meeting,” he said.