KUWAIT CITY, February 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia calls for influencing those who can convince the Syrian parties to continue the talks in Geneva, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

Speaking at the 3rd ministerial meeting of the Russia-CCASG Strategic Dialogue, Lavrov said, “I’m sure that Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf seek to see Syria peaceful, renovated and prosperous where all confessions and groups have equal rights and freedoms.”

“The bloodshed and any violence on the Syrian land should be ceased as soon as possible. It is necessary to put an end to the sufferings of hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and refugees, and to the sufferings of the great number of families,” the Russian minister said.

“We pursued the aim by convening the Geneva II Peace Conference in Montreux on January 22. The two rounds of inter-Syrian talks were not easy. We urge everyone who has chances and the authority to influence the warring parties to do their best in order to continue a direct dialogue in Geneva,” he said.

Lavrov stressed the need to start a political process without preconditions. “I’m convinced that the history and the Syrian people will give due to those who did evil and to those who helped reach national reconciliation,” the Russian minister said, adding “Now the key task is to save many lives. We should save Syria. Russia will exert maximum effort to work with Damascus and the Syrian opposition groups.