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Russian top diplomat calls to ensure unity of actions of external players on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday met with United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura

MOSCOW, April 5. /TASS/. Moscow calls to ensure unity of actions of foreign players on Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at a meeting with United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.

"One of the most important tasks is to ensure unity of actions of external players," he said. "As, in the long run, the signals coming to the Syrian parties are to be synchronized. These should be signals for peace and national accord."

"In the long run, all solutions to the crisis are to rest on the basic principle that was committed to paper in the resolutions of the Vienna Group (the International Syria Support Group - TASS), in resolutions of the United Nations Security Council: only the Syrian people can determine the future of their country," Lavrov stressed.

"We appreciate the possibility to exchange views with you ahead of the second round of intra-Syrian talks," he said. "Russia, as a co-chair of the process of the Syrian settlement talks, along with the United States, is committed to the task of all-round support to your efforts as a chief coordinator of this process. This cooperation, both between the co-chairs and other members of the International Syria Support Group, their commitment to support your work was a key factor that helped to ensure relative success of the first round of talks in Geneva in March."

"You have summed up the results of the round of intra-Syrian talks and neither of the parties rejected these results," Lavrov said. "We believe that today it is very important to see to it that each of them does the ‘homework’ on the preparation for the second round of talks fairly well."

"We have a solid basis for further efforts - the resolutions of the Syria Support Group and of the United Nations Security Council," he said. "We hope all the parameters outlined in these documents will be implemented."

"Naturally, like in any conflict, the most important thing is to ensure the inclusive character of talks and their orientation towards direct dialogue between the parties. We will support your efforts towards it," Lavrov said. "I hope our talks will be a major step in preparation for the second round of talks in Geneva."