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Conflict in Syria

Diplomat says Moscow needs no go-betweens in its contacts with Syrian opposition

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that Russia has never sought to dodge contacts either with Syria’s political opposition groups or with field commanders

MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Russia needs no go-betweens in its contacts with the Syrian opposition, a senior Russian diplomat said on Thursday commenting on media reports about Turkey’s mediation in contacts between Moscow and the Syrian opposition.

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Lavrov says US policy of dealing with 'moderate opposition' in Syria doomed from start

"We need no mediators with the Syrian opposition, we have direct contacts," Russian president’s envoy for the Middle East and African countries and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told TASS. "Today, I had a meeting with the Syrian opposition’s representative, Meis Kreidi, in Moscow. We discussed the humanitarian, political and social situation in Syria, the situation within the domestic patriotic opposition. We discussed in detail the Kurdish factor as well."

According to Bogdanov, Russian diplomats met with Syrian oppositionists in Istanbul and in other cities. "Definitely, we need no go-between," he stressed once again.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit to Turkey, stressed that Russia has never sought to dodge contacts either with Syria’s political opposition groups or with field commanders.

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