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Middle East and North Africa

RF ready to send 30 military observers to UNSMIS

Russia informed the United Nations about the readiness to send 30 military observers to the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION, July 25 (Itar-Tass) — Russia informed the United Nations about the readiness to send 30 military observers to the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria and give a platform for talks in Moscow to the Syrian authorities and the opposition, Russian permanent representative to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin said on Wednesday.

“By supporting the work of the Mission, Russia has informed the U.N. Secretariat about the readiness to send 30 military observers to UNSMIS. We are also ready to give a platform for talks in Moscow to the Syrian authorities and the opposition,” Churkin said.

The ambassador recalled that Russia’s position on Syria “is principled. We call for the soonest peaceful settlement of the crisis by Syrians themselves without foreign interference by national dialogue between the government and the opposition. This position fully corresponds to the final document of the Geneva conference that laid the foundation for the activity of the Action Group created by Kofi Annan”.

The Russian permanent representative commented on the possible use of chemical weapons by Syria in case of a foreign aggression. This issue has been lately spread by mass media. “We believe that the Syrian authorities will comply with international obligations, which were assumed earlier in 1968 when the country joined the 1925 Geneva protocol for the prohibition of the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous and other gases,” Churkin said.

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