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Parties to conflict in Venezuela should be allowed to have a dialogue - Russian diplomat

Ryabkov noted that the Foreign Ministry calls on the international community to refrain from using force and interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov Sergei Fadeichev/TASS
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov called for a chance for the authorities and the opposition in Venezuela to conduct a dialogue, he said in an interview with CNN.

"Parties, opposition, the government in Venezuela should be given a chance to continue a dialog. I know that situation is a dramatic one. But so what? Is it just because of this that others should go there and think of using military power? I think it would only deepen the crisis," the diplomat said.

The possibility of such military intervention, in his opinion, exists on the part of the United States. "Yes. I truly fill that there are dangerous signs of something going on along these lines," he said answering a question about the likelihood of a US military intervention in Venezuela.

Ryabkov noted that the Foreign Ministry calls on the international community to refrain from using force and interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela. "We warn everyone not just the US but some others who may entertain these ideas from this type of action. The resort to military power would be catastrophic. It would be another huge blow to the international system. We face now a scenario that may lead to further bloodshed in Venezuela," he concluded.

On January 23, Juan Guaido declared himself acting president during an opposition rally in Caracas. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro described these developments as an attempted coup organized by Washington and said he was breaking diplomatic ties with the US.

US President Donald Trump and Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro recognized Guaido as acting head of state. Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Chile and Ecuador made similar statements later.

Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua and Turkey supported Maduro. Belarus and China called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict without outside interference. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres made a statement in support of the dialogue between the conflicting sides.