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Russia waiting for new group of Syrian opposition

"Militarization of opposition activities is now taking place to a definite extent,” the minister Sergei Lavrov

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, March 17 (Itar-Tass) — Russia is waiting for another group of the Syrian opposition in the near future, said on Saturday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov live on the programme “News on Saturday” (Russia 1 channel).

“Russia called on the political opposition, during meetings with the self-same Burhan Ghalioun and other opposition leaders (incidentally, we are waiting for another group of the Syrian opposition in Moscow in the near future) to disassociate itself from those who try to lend the conflict a military dimension as well as from armed gangs, engineering provocations, to which the government responds very often disproportionately,” the minister said. “But militarization of opposition activities is now taking place to a definite extent.”

“At least, the Syrian National Council headed by Ghalioun, announced that it forms “a military wing” that will engage in collecting donations to purchase arms to continue struggle with the regime,” the minister noted.

“Sure, if events develop according to this scenario, it is difficult to count that any of our calls on the government will be received positively as far as a ceasefire is concerned,” Lavrov concluded.

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