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Conflict in Syria

Lavrov stresses importance of single Syrian opposition delegation

The Russian foreign minister said the Syria Support Group may turn into a discussion club

Participants of the talks EPA/MARTIAL TREZZINI

Participants of the talks

© EPA/MARTIAL TREZZINI

MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Without the list of terrorists and forming a unified platform by the Syrian opposition the Syria Support Group may turn from a working body into a discussion club, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Italy’s Limes monthly magazine.

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"We stress that resolutions 2170, 2177, 2199 and 2249 of the United Nations Security Council adopted in line with Chapter VII of the UN Charter should be implemented by everyone in full," Lavrov said.

This also relates to fulfilling the tasks set by the participants of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), Lavrov said. "First of all, to agree with the coordinating role of Jordan in the issue of who is a terrorist in Syria."

After the approval at the next ministerial meeting of the ISSG, the respective list should be submitted for the UN Security Council as a draft resolution, the foreign minister said.

"Secondly, by the efforts of Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, and other parties to provide assistance to the broadest spectrum of the Syrian opposition forces in developing a unified negotiations platform and in forming a delegation for the further talks with the Syrian government," Lavrov added.

"Without solving these two tasks the further progress on launching the intra-Syrian political process becomes impossible," Lavrov stressed.

"The prospects of coordination in the fight against terrorism in Syria also shrink and the ISSG format established in Vienna faces a threat of turning from a working body on international assistance to settlement in Syria and support of the country into a discussion club," he said.

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Foreign policy Syrian conflict

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