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Interests of all ethnic groups in Syria must be considered: Lavrov

The Russian side emphasized that the Syrian people themselves must determine their future and settle problems of the country’s future

MOSCOW, July 1 (Itar-Tass) — The Syrian problem must be settled with taking into account the interests of all confessions and ethnic groups of the population, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated during separate talks on Saturday with special envoy for Syria Kofi Annan, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, and the foreign ministers of China and Iraq – Yang Jiechi and Hoshyar Zebari.

“They discussed key issues of peaceful settlement in Syria through the mobilization of efforts of main foreign players in order to end as soon as possible any violence from all sides and launch a comprehensive political inter-Syrian dialogue,” Russian Foreign Ministry sources informed.

“The Russian side emphasized that the Syrian people themselves must determine their future and settle problems of the country’s future development with taking into account the interests of all confessions and ethnic groups,” the sources added.

Russia also emphasized an insistent task of “intensive work with the government as well as with all opposition groups in order to stop disastrous confrontation and sufferings of civilians,” the sources stressed.