ST PETERSBURG, June 30 (Itar-Tass) — Participants in an international conference on Syria in Geneva have a real chance “to find a common denominator”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after the talks with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday.
“Undoubtedly, Syria dominated the international agenda,” he said. “I felt changes in the position of my counterpart.”
“I’ve heard an experienced politician, diplomat saying she understands our position and we reciprocated,” he said. “We’ve agreed to search for such agreements that would bring us together on the basis of a clear understanding as prescribed in the Annan plan.”
“Actions of all players should be targeted at persuading the Syrians to sit at the negotiating table,” he said. “And then it is necessary to leave them to themselves as concerns the essence of agreements – what a transition period will be, when the general elections will take place and whether it is necessary to amend the Constitution or not. Nobody has the right to foreclose.”
“The Syrians cannot be left alone as concerns the influence of every external player on this or that Syrian party. External players should bring Syrians to the negotiating table and persuade them every day and even every hour not to quit the talks,” Lavrov said.