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Conflict in Syria

Demands for replacing regime in Syria play into extremists’ hands — Lavrov

The external players must avoid taking any action that fails to contribute to a political settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

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MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. Demands for changing the regime in Syria run counter to the Geneva Communique and play into extremists’ hands, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem on Monday.

"The external players must avoid taking any action that fails to contribute to a political settlement. Everything that is being said about the need for changing the regime is rather risky. It runs counter to the Geneva Communique. It plays into the extremists’ hands. It is something everybody would like to avoid," Lavrov said.

"Now there are reasons to believe that evaluations are being changed. Some inertia will last for a while, but evaluations are being changed," he said.

"Through today’s talks we would like to help external actors develop the awareness of the main threat, a threat that goes far beyond the bounds of unilateral geopolitical projects," Lavrov said.

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