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Russian PM calls to focus on preserving Syria, not on fate of certain leaders

Russia’s position is that there is no military solution to the Syrian issue, Dmitry Medvedev said
Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev Alexander Astafyev/Russian Government Press Office/TASS
Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitriy Medvedev
© Alexander Astafyev/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/. The key goal of the Syrian settlement is to preserve the country’s integrity and prevent its split into terrorist enclaves, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in the interview with China Central Television on Friday.

"Russia’s position is that there is no military solution to the Syrian issue," Medvedev said. "The forces that want peace in Syria should sit down at the negotiating table and agree on Syria’s future, the future political system," the premier said.

"This is not about the fate of certain leaders, although, certainly they cannot be taken out of this context, this does not concern the discussion on the personal issue linked to Bashar Assad although he is current president and legitimate president and should take part in this," he stressed.

"It is most important that there should be peaceful settlement involving all constructive forces," Medvedev said. "The key point is to make so that Syria’s future is predictable so that Syria is a self-sufficient and independent country and does not split into a whole number of terrorist enclaves what unfortunately happened with Libya and some other countries of the Middle East. This is our task," he stressed.

Medvedev noted that the key obstacle for settlement today is "the issue of separating those who seek peace and have constructive positions from flagrant terrorist groups." "A discussion on this issue is underway, and it is rather heated. We have a debate on this issue with the US and the Europeans."

The prime minister recalled that Russia implements the agreements with the Syrian government on maintaining military balance and takes part in the military operations on fighting against terrorists so that they do not move to other countries.