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German top diplomat says resolving Syrian and Libyan crises impossible without Moscow

BERLIN, March 10. /TASS/. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said that Russia’s role in resolving the situation in Syria and Libya is pivotal.

"I have just returned from Russia. Of course, the key issue was the situation in Ukraine. I am convinced, however, that we will not be able to achieve anything either in Syria or in Libya without cooperation with Russia," he told a news conference in Berlin on Friday.

Gabriel noted that the previous US administration made some mistakes in building relations with Moscow. "Definitely, it was unwise on the part of the pervious US president to declare Russia a regional player in public," he said. "After that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin showed him what a great power is."

According to Gabriel, it is necessary for the EU to come up with its own stance on resolving the situation in crisis areas. "We need to have a clear point of view. Only then will we be taken seriously," the minister said.