GENEVA, February 25. /TASS/. A war on terror should dominate the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar Jaafari, head of the government delegation, said on Saturday.
"The fight against terrorism should dominate the intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva," Jaafari said, referring to Saturday’s acts of terror in Homs.
Fight against terrorism should be in focus on all platforms - in New York, Geneva, Astana - as it is the top priority, he went on.
"The UN should prioritize the struggle against terrorism," Jaafari said. "The Security Council has approved resolutions condemning terrorism, including at the ministerial level. The war on terror must be in focus on all the platforms - in New York, Geneva and Astana."
Jaafari will meet with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on February 28.
"We will be continuing work with de Mistura," Jaafari said. "The next meeting will be held on Tuesday."
Along with this, he added that the Syrian governmental delegation would not leave the Geneva talks after Saturday’s sharp statements.
"Have I said anything like that? You hear what you want to hear," he said, answering a reporter’s question.
Oil smuggling
According to Jaafari, Turkey smuggles oil and archaeological artefacts from Syria with the help of the Islamic State.
From the very start, Islamic State has been a tool designed to seize property. All of you remember the images from Russian satellites showing trucks with stolen oil, which they were smuggling into Turkey and then to Israel," Jaafari said.
"Also, you have been witnessing thefts of archaeological artefacts in Syria and Iraq. They were later transferred to Syria and sold in the world market," he added.