BERLIN, October 5. /TASS/. Bringing the conflict in Syria to an end is impossible without consensus between Russia and the US, German Foreign Ministry spokesman, Martin Schaefer, said on Wednesday.
"It is clear that without reaching mutual understanding between the US and Russia on Syria there will be no hope for resolving the conflict and ending the bloodshed," he said.
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According to Schaefer, the aim of the agreements between Moscow and Washington reached in early September - achieving a truce and fighting the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia - TASS) - continue to be relevant.
He went on to say that proposals on imposing sanctions against Russia or Iran over their policy on Syria are not discussed at the moment.
"I do not know anyone in Berlin or anywhere else who would come up with such a proposal," he said. "The Foreign Ministry has nothing to say regarding specific plans to impose sanctions, I don’t know against whom - Russia or Iran."
Schaefer recalled that "extensive sanctions had been imposed against the Assad regime, including by the European Union, in 2011, when the Syrian civil war started."
He also noted that the approach towards cooperation with Russia on Syria would be discussed on Wednesday at a meeting of the political directors of the Foreign Ministries of Germany, the US, the UK, Italy, France and the EU’s External Action Service. According to Schaefer, the consultations will be held behind closed doors, the top diplomats will be briefed on their results.