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RF never to back stance on need of Assad resignation — FM

“No responsible politician can do this,” Sergei Lavrov stressed
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

AMMAN (Jordan), November 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russia has been urged to take an anti-Assad stance, and the West is prepared to use any means for ousting the Syrian president, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated.

“They, in fact, urge us to take a position for Assad’s resignation, and then, if he does not step down - no holds barred,” Lavrov said. “Russia will never support the position that Assad should go.”

“Many say at present that they are ready to implement the Geneva Communiqu·, and for this Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad must step down,” the minister said. “We will never support this position,” Lavrov stressed. “No responsible politician can do this.”

Lavrov said that he had a meeting with the former Syrian Prime Minister, Riyad Farid Hijab, who broke with the Assad regime. “Our meeting was aimed at reaching an agreement on how to stop the violence and bloodshed,” the Russian foreign minister said. “For the settlement of the Syrian crisis we need consensus and dialogue, and we’re trying to persuade both the government and the opposition to stop the bloodshed on the basis of the Geneva accords.” “But there are those who don’t care about the fate of Syrians, they need only Assad’s head,” the Russian foreign minister added.