MUNICH, February 01, 14:32 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia supports actively the dialogue between the Syrian government and opposition, which has begun in Geneva, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
“It /the dialogue/ should help the Syrians to decide on the country’s future,” the foreign minister said. “We hope results of this political process, which should be made truly representative as soon as possible, will keep Syria as a sovereign, territory integral, secular country, which guarantees for rights of all confessions and ethnic groups.”
“An alternative is further spinning of violence and a dangerous degradation of the situation in the Middle East,” Lavrov said.
“The long-lasting bloodshed in Syria has turned that country into a base for extremists and terrorists from across the entire world, and nobody knows how they will use those skills as they are back home,” he continued. “Their crimes against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East’s countries emerge grave thoughts.”
Lavrov stressed once again it would be necessary to organise a representative delegation of the opposition to the talks in Geneva.
“The entire spectrum of the Syrian society should be represented at the international conference,” he said.