KUWAIT CITY, February 19, (ITAR-TASS) - Moscow hopes that the Geneva communique may be implemented by means of inter-Syrian talks, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on the eve of the third ministerial round of the Russia - Gulf Cooperation Council strategic dialogue.
“We are satisfied that now counterparts are ready for negotiations of the kind (on the Syrian settlement) on the background of the common understanding that the Syrian crisis does not have a military solution and that it is necessary to offer political ways to settle it on the basis of the Geneva communiquй,” Bogdanov said.
“The communiquй of June 30, 2012 was agreed by the Action Group, including Russia, two Gulf countries - Kuwait and Qatar plus Iraq. They are not just the countries to support the communiquй, but the countries, which have participated directly in the process of agreeing, offering compromise wording.”
“We have been hoping we shall be able to implement that document by means of organising the inter-Syrian negotiations in the framework of the Geneva-2 conference despite all the complications, which emerged during the first two rounds of negotiations between the Syrian delegations,” the high-ranking diplomat added.
While commenting on the discrepancies between Russia and Saudi Arabia on Syria, the deputy foreign minister said “despite all the discrepancies, our position has been that the dialogue should be mutually respectful and should be based on certain clear approaches.”
“Our position is absolutely clear and transparent,” Mikhail Bogdanov said. “I believe, our counterparts should take it correctly, it is based on respect for norms of the international law, the UN Charter. In this case, we are ready for an open dialogue with our counterparts, including Saudi Arabia.