Beirut, Feb 12, IRNA – Russian Ambassador to Beirut Alexander Zasypkin stressed here Tuesday that Geneva II Conference to Resolve Syrian Crisis will bear no tangible result in Iran’s absence and lacking Tehran’s effective cooperation.
The Lebanese sources further quoted Zasypkin as saying that Russia favors Iran’s active participation aimed at finding solutions to the Syrian and other crises in the Middle East region.

He emphasized that Russia has not negotiated with the United States on the fate of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, or on the upcoming Syria presidential elections, as Moscow considers those issues internal affairs of the Syrian nation.

The Russian ambassador to Lebanon further reiterated that setting aside the plan to resort to military action against Syria was a result of the Russian mediation.

Zasypkin said that Moscow will not permit the re-occurrence of what happened in Libya in Syria.

“The Syrian nation should be permitted to decide its fate and its heed its internal affairs all by itself and free from foreign interference,” he emphasized.

The Russian ambassador to Lebanon reiterated that the Syrian dissidents present in Geneva 2 conference are weak and they are not fully representing that country’s dissidents.

As two delegations, one representing the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic, led by Bashar Assad, and the other claiming to represent the popular opposition which is seeking its overthrow, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday morning to continue with Round Two of Geneva II, there is uncertainty over the agenda and whether to extend this weekend’s 36 hour “Humanitarian pause” to allow aid into the Old City of Homs.

Such a deal, which could come at any time, would bolster confidence ahead of the Round Two of the peace talks.

Some observers predict that the ceasefire will in fact be extended as a result of a meeting on 2/10/14 being held between Syrian government officials in Homs and UN representatives that will likely result in more civilians being allowed out of the old city later Tuesday or on Wednesday.

But it is not certain. And meanwhile, on 2/10/14, the meager amounts of aid trickling into Yamouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus was stopped due to yet another breach of a “humanitarian pause” that was agreed upon last week.

By IRNA

 

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