Geneva communique implies transitional period rather than regime change in Syria - Lavrov

DOHA, August 3 /TASS/. Signatories to the Geneva communique (on Syria) did not sign up to changing regime in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday. "In the Geneva communique, representatives of the world community, including members of the UN Security Council, Turkey, the European Union and the Arab countries, did not sign under a pledge to change the regime in Syria. The document implies the existence of a transitional political period the parameters of which should be agreed on the basis of mutual consensus reached between the /Syrian/ government and the opposition. We are working on that now," Lavrov said. Questions like whether Russia is going to make any concessions on the Syrian president have got nothing to do with the Geneva communique, according to Lavrov. "When you ask whether Russia is ready to make concessions on its support for (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad), I can say that this question has got nothing to do with what we have committed ourselves to - establish a dialogue between all opposition groups and the Syrian government," the Russian foreign minister went on to say. Lavrov said he had discussed the issues mentioned above at his talks with the US secretary of state and the Saudi foreign minister. "Each of these countries is exerting efforts to make the opposition work out a common approach in its negotiations with the /Syrian/ regime. These negotiations to be brokered by Staffan de Mistura, a UN peace envoy on Syria, are expected to start soon," Lavrov said. He noted that the negotiating process also involved other countries, which have various influence on the sides in the Syrian conflict. "We are going to consult them too. I mean Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Iran. Without understanding among the external players who can influence the sides /in conflict/, it is very hard to hope that a serious, sustainable and successful political process will ever start," the Russian foreign minister concluded. Read more