DAMASCUS, November 17./TASS/. Russia does not accept attempts to divide Syria and create quasi-states on its territory, it will continue to help Damascus achieve national and inter-confessional accord in the country, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told a round-table discussion within the framework of the visit by a Russian interdepartmental delegation to Damascus.
"Russia aims to continue the search for ways of the Syrian settlement in the interests of preserving the independence, unity and territorial integrity of the state," the Russian envoy said.
"Any attempts to divide the country and create quasi-state entities remain unacceptable for us regardless of the pretexts under which these attempts would be made," Lavrentyev stressed.
The intra-Syrian dialogue should proceed naturally and without any external pressure, he emphasized. "The Syrians themselves are able to find the best solution, overcome differences on the issues of the constitutional reform and, respectively, make amendments if necessary," he noted.
The situation must not be allowed to "go past the point when the existence of Syria as a unified state would be impossible," the envoy warned. "We will continue to assist the Syrian leadership in achieving national and interfaith accord in the country," Lavrentyev stressed.