Russian embassy in Syria keeps in touch with whole range of opposition groups

MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Russian embassy in Syria maintains contact with the whole spectrum of political forces in Syria except for militant groups, Russian ambassador to Syria, Aleksandr Kinshchak, told TASS in an interview. "We keep in touch with all political parties and associations in Syria, both those registered under the local legislation and with the ‘non-systemic opposition’," he said. "In fact we have no contacts with illegal armed groups. All those who seek political goals and work for their achievement by political methods are our partners." Among the representatives of the opposition with which the Russian embassy has contacts Kinshchak mentioned the National Coordination committee for Democratic Change. "Its representatives jointed the opposition’s delegation formed by the Riyadh Supreme Commission for Negotiation," he recalled. "Among those on the list of our contacts are also those political forces which are trying to form an alternative opposition delegation, the so-called Lausanne Group, in order to conduct a dialogue in Geneva with the Syrian government on its own. We actively work with the so-called patriotic opposition, whose leaders held their congress in Damascus last December." Kinshchak said that in contacts with the opposition Russian diplomats were asking its members to maintain a constructive dialogue with the authorities, proceeding from the assumption a political solution can have no alternatives and should be a product of the Syrians themselves. "The recent attempt to start intra-Syrian talks in Geneva has proved not very productive," he said. "It happened so not through the fault of our Syrian partners. We will continue tight work with all Syrian parties for the sake of ensuring the success of another round of talks under the UN auspices." In their contacts with members of different political forces the diplomats proceed from the understanding that consolidation of efforts in the struggle with terrorism is one of the most important tasks. "Without resolving this issue it will be impossible to ensure progress regarding other components of the political settlement in the country," Kinshchak said. Read more