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Kremlin views situation in Syria as extremely challenging

The Kremlin spokesman has added that no separation of the moderate opposition from terrorists in Syria has taken place so far

MOSCOW, September 26. /TASS/. The situation in Syria is very challenging now, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said commenting on the outcome of the UN Security Council’s meeting.

"The Kremlin assesses the situation as extremely difficult," Peskov said.

The Kremlin spokesman has added that no separation of the moderate opposition from terrorists in Syria has taken place so far: 

"Putting emotions aside, we state that so far there has been no separation of the so-called moderate opposition from terrorist organizations," Peskov said. 

Ceasefire regime

The Kremlin is concerned that although the ceasefire has been in effect for more than a week, the terrorists use it "for regrouping, replenishing their arsenals, for apparent preparation and carrying out their offensive."

"One can state that the ceasefire regime is ineffective," Peskov said. "However, Moscow is not losing hope and most importantly political will to make the maximum efforts for reaching a steady path of political settlement in Syria. Now it is difficult there." 

Peskov has also added that the British and the US rhetoric over Syria is totally unacceptable and can only worsen the fragile peace process: 

"We point out that the tone of rhetoric by some British and US officials is generally unacceptable. We believe that such rhetoric can cause great harm to the settlement process and our bilateral relations." 

New meeting on Syria is not needed at this point 

On Sunday, the UN Security Council held an urgent meeting on the situation in Aleppo, where the Syrian army is conducting a military operation against militants. The meeting had been requested by the UK, the US and France.

During the meeting, the Western countries attempted to place the responsibility for the escalation in Aleppo on Russia. Russia’s envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin said after the US tactical tricks that have helped terrorists regroup and receive reinforcement, Moscow won’t agree anymore on unilateral steps aiming to cease hostilities in Syria. 

Holding a summit meeting at the summit level for discussing the Syrian issue would make no sense at the moment, because the situation remains amorphous, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"As far as I know, there are none," Peskov said when asked if there were any immediate plans for convening a summit level meeting on Syria in the near future.

"For the time being the situation is too amorphous for holding a summit meeting," he said.

"Currently it is necessary to achieve at the level of experts and at a high level, too, some understanding of the causes, the existing problems and the effects of these problems and the understanding of the importance of who is responsible for these consequences," Peskov said.