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Lavrov says call for ceasefire in Syria only aimed at allowing militants to take breath

The Russian top diplomat pointed out that the US "still avoids attacking the Jabhat al-Nusra militants"

MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. All statements on the need for ceasefire in Syria are only aimed at giving a chance for the militants to take breath, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"No one in Iraq, in Libya or especially Yemen insists on immediately halting armed activities and observing a week or two of full silence before sitting down at the negotiating table, but they do so in Syria," Lavrov told participants of the "Dialogue in the Name of the Future" program of the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund.

"The demands of silence each time are aimed at only one thing: so that the militants take breath, reinforce themselves and get new weapons and ammunition," he said.

The foreign minister recalled the recent events in Syria’s Palmyra. After the operation to liberate Iraq’s Mosul was stopped, the Islamic State terrorists were allowed to withdraw via a corridor, and they headed towards Palmyra, "receiving a signal that Mosul won’t be taken over now." "Such games mean trouble," Lavrov stressed.

Setting up database of terrorist organizations

Setting up an international system of exchanging information on terrorist organizations may facilitate the struggle against terrorism, Lavrov said at a meeting with members of the Dialogue in the Name of Future scientific and educational program.

The Russian top diplomat pointed out that the US "still avoids attacking the Jabhat al-Nusra militants." Thus, in Lavrov’s words, "the Americans, wishing or not, become involved in creating another monster that will carry out horrible terrorist attacks all over the world in the future."

"A blast may occur anywhere," the Russian foreign minister noted. "Cooperation between secret services, politicians and militaries is highly necessary so that such attacks could be foiled, which requires data exchange. Russia’s Federal Security Service’s proposal to establish a database of terrorist organizations was welcomed, this is a very promising initiative."

"This is a practical step that is consistent with the idea, on forming a universal anti-terrorist front, that the Russian president put forward last year while addressing the UN General Assembly," the Russian top diplomat stated.