Russia has demanded that the U.S. honour the agreed peace plan for Syria and warned that the withdrawal of an observer mission would have grave consequences.
At a meeting with U.S. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Moscow Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov “underscored that the exit of the United Nations from Syria in the current situation would have serious negative consequences not only for the country, but for the whole region.”
The U.N. mission in Syria, extended for 30 days in July, is due to expire again on August 20.
Mr. Gatilov further emphasised “the need for strict compliance by all sides in Syria, as well as by external players” of U.N. Security Council resolutions and decisions reached at the Geneva meeting of the Syria Action Group.
The Russian diplomat stressed the importance of reactivating the Action Group in order to “agree on joint steps to launch political settlement of the Syria crisis.”
Ahead of Ms. Sherman’s visit to Moscow Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not let Western powers “sabotage” the Geneva accords on political transition in Syria and would demand an explanation from Washington why it was not doing anything to implement the agreements.
