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Conflict in Syria

Syrian conflict in focus on telephone conversation between Russian, French top diplomats

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also informed his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian about the results of his Saturday’s talks with the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers

MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. The situation in Syria following the missile strike delivered on that country by the United States, France and the United Kingdom was in focus of a telephone conversation between Russian and French Foreign Ministers, Sergey Lavrov and Jean-Yves Le Drian, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday.

"The ministers discussed in detail the development of the situation in Syria after the use of force by the United States, France and the United Kingdom. The sides reiterated corresponding assessments of this action stated earlier by Moscow and Paris. The Russian minister stressed that the illegal strikes on the Syrian territory on April 14 that were delivered before the arrival of OPCW inspectors have pushed back the progress in the Syrian settlement reached through serious effort in Astana and Sochi," the ministry said.

"At the same time, Russia is still open for dialogue with all partners in the interests of fair settlement of the crisis on the basis acceptable for all Syrian groups and in compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254," the ministry said.

The Russian top diplomat also informed his French counterpart about the results of his Saturday’s talks with the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers.

The two ministers agreed to continue contacts on the Syrian problem. The conversation was initiated by the French side.

On April 14, the United States, France and the United Kingdom delivered a massive strike on Syrian targets in bypassing of the United Nations Security Council, saying the strikes had been a response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria’s Douma on April 7 reported by some non-governmental organizations. The Russian Foreign Ministry said a research center in Damascus, the headquarters of the republican guard, an air defense base, and several airdromes and military warehouses were among the targets.

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Sergey Lavrov France Syrian conflict

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