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Conflict in Syria

Russia hopes all foreign troops will leave Syria soon, says envoy

The withdrawal of the foreign forces will ensure Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and also will help put an end to the unlawful extraction of natural resources on the country’s territory, Alexander Lavrentyev noted

NUR-SULTAN, July 8. /TASS/. The presence of foreign contingencies in Syria is temporary, and all foreign troops should leave the country soon, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev said during the press conference held after the 16th international meeting on Syria in the Astana format.

"We hope that the presence of a limited American contingency and of a number of Western states in northeastern Syria, as well as the Turkish contingency in the northwestern part of the country is temporary," he noted. "Soon, as the situation stabilizes, all these military contingencies will withdraw from the country."

Lavrentyev pointed out that not only would the withdrawal of foreign troops ensure Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, it would also help put an end to the unlawful extraction of natural resources on the country’s territory.

He stressed that the pillaging of Syria’s resources was "absolutely unacceptable". "Natural resources should belong to the Syrian nation, and they should be fairly distributed in the interest of all ethnic groups populating Syria," Lavrentyev said.

Tags

Foreign policy Syria Syrian conflict

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