MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Russia will spare no effort to prevent staking on force in Syria as this is a path to the collapse of yet another state, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday after talks with his visiting French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault.
"We will do our best to prevent the military solution, staking on force from winning the upper hand. Because this is a path to ultimate chaos in the region, to the collapse of yet another state after what has been done to Iraq and Libya. Yemen, too, is far from being in its best shape," he said.
"We must call to responsibility those who cherish such plans," Lavrov stressed.
Lavrov also said that no ministerial meeting of Syria Support Group was planned for April 21.
"As for a meeting of the International Syria Support Group on April 21, this group is functioning in Geneva at the level of envoys and two task forces - on ceasefire and on humanitarian issues," he noted. "These groups meet every two days. I think the mass media mean such a meeting when they speak about a meeting on April 21. A ministerial meeting is beyond the agenda at this stage."
"We believe that the mechanism that was created and is working in Geneva is rather efficient and makes it possible to control the current situation, to solve arising problems swiftly," the Russian minister said. "Ministers will have to get involved when radical changes are needed in our common approaches, when the mandate approved by the United Nations Security Council needs adjustments."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in his turn pointed out that Russia may contribute to a real transitional period in Syria.
"My concern is connected with implementation of the ceasefire regime. The situation remains very fragile," Ayrault said. "It’s necessary to do everything possible for the political process to be resumed."
"We should play our role. Russia has played a key role, made a very important step," he said.
"Russia has long-standing historic ties with Damascus," Ayrault said. "I think it may contribute to the building of a real transitional period, will help restore statehood in Syria."
Sergey Lavrov also noted that during the talks the sides "paid special attention to the political process that has been launched in Geneva." "We think it necessary to take efforts so that it gains really nationwide character, to have the government and the entire spectrum of the opposition sit down at one negotiating table to decide the future of their home country, which is envisaged by the United Nations Security Council resolution," Lavrov said.
"We also discussed the situation in Libya, in Iraq and other countries of the region," he said. "One common thing, I think, is that we agreed that it is necessary that foreign players must do their best to see to it that all the parties in each of these countries, in each of these situations made steps towards national reconciliation, national accord and consolidated efforts in the fight against terrorists and extremists."
The Russian minister also called to stop the attempts of the Syrian oppositional Riyadh group to frustrate intra-Syrian talks in Geneva.
"Pampered oppositionists begin to ‘call the tunes’," Lavrov said. "Western partners understand that they should not be hostages to capricious participants. The moves to frustrate talks and the return to the military scenario should be stopped in a tough manner."