Peace for Syria: Russian policy starts being heeded, says top diplomat

MOSCOW, February 27 /TASS/. Russian dialogue with the United States and Arab countries is promoting "policy which is beginning to be heeded" in pursuit of peace in Syria, Russia's top diplomat said on Friday. Chances exist for a settlement of conflict there and the process towards it should not be hindered, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told an audience at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow. Failure at last year's Geneva talks was rooted in Syria's opposition being represented by one single group, setting out ultimatums about President Asad’s resignation, Lavrov said. Current plans for a more embracing inter-Syrian meeting in Moscow would assemble as many groups as possible, he said. "We expect to see more opposition groups. " If this process is not hindered, and there are no attempts to find a pretext to use force against the Syrian regime, I think we have chances for slow progress that will gather pace," he added, noting that "in the event of a military adventure, a sad future awaits Syria". Read more