MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. The launch of Syria’s Constitutional Committee will bring forth the topic of Syria’s return to the Arab League, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Arabic-language media. The interview was posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on Thursday.
"We are confident that the launch of the committee’s work in Geneva will give an impetus to the entire settlement process in Syria," he said. "Progress on the political track will bring forth the long-standing topic of Damascus’ return to the Arab family. I mean the Arab League."
However, in his words, "much will depend on Saudi Arabia’s position, because its voice is heard in the region and beyond."
Syria’s membership in the Arab League was suspended in November 2011 when a conflict flared up in the country. Most of the Arab nations recalled their ambassadors from Damascus and scaled down trade ties with Syria.
Israel's strike against Syria
Air strikes against Syrian territory by the Israeli military may destabilize the situation in the region, the Russian top diplomat stated.
"Regarding arbitrary Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory, we have never concealed a negative attitude towards such actions that further destabilize the situation and could lead to an escalation," he noted.
"Syria should not become a platform for implementing plans or settling scores. The main task of all concerned forces must be to help restore peace to Syrian territory," he added.
US troops withdrawal from Syria
The remaining US presence in Syria raises eyebrows and Moscow hopes that US President Donald Trump will fulfill his pledge on withdrawing troops, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Thursday.
According to Lavrov, only a request by the country’s legitimate authorities or the UN Security Council’s resolution could serve as a legal basis for external actors on Syrian soil. "Iran is in Syria at the request of Damascus, unlike the United States," he said.
"When ISIS’ main elements [terror group outlawed in Russia] in Syria are defeated, questions will arise about the purpose of the continued US presence on Syrian soil," Russia’s top diplomat said.
"There is a strong sense that Washington’s mission is to prevent the restoration of Syria’s territorial integrity, in direct violation of Security Council Resolution 2254," he stressed.
Lavrov expressed hope that Washington would fulfill its pledge made by President Donald Trump in December 2018 to withdraw US troops from the country.
Meanwhile, Lavrov noted that despite their differences, Moscow and Washington managed to show that they could cooperate on the "Syrian dossier." He recalled that the 2013 Russian-US deal on destroying Syria’s chemical arms helped prevent a military scenario. A ceasefire in Syria came into effect for the first time in 2016 under a decision of Moscow and Washington, Lavrov noted.
Besides, the Russian and US military managed to establish good cooperation in Syria for ensuring safe flights. A special mechanism was introduced on providing assistance in case of crisis situations, which stipulated certain rules for the crews. Thanks to this mechanism, some incidents that could endanger security of Russian and US troops were prevented, Lavrov pointed out.