Russia set to carry fight against terrorists through to end - Lavrov

MOSCOW, October 28. /TASS/. Moscow, unlike its Western counterparts, is set to carry the fight against terrorists through to the end, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference on Friday after talks with his Syrian and Iranian counterparts, Walid Muallem and Javad Zarif. Russian-US agreements on Syria had begun with a statement that the top priority was to separate moderate opposition and terrorists, Lavrov said. "Nonetheless, there was no progress, there is no progress and, to tell the truth, I do not expect any further progress, at least in the immediate future," Lavrov said. "I am going to remind that this separation was linked to a seven-day ‘silence regime’ during which Americans promised to show us in their maps where there were terrorists and where not." "As of today, neither Russia nor Syria has been using their Aerospace and Air Forces around Aleppo for ten days," the Russian foreign minister said. "Over this span of time the separation could have been done at least in eastern Aleppo." Appeals to cease the fire just reflected a desire to buy time and provide a respite for terrorists, he added. "Terrorists must be smashed," Lavrov said. "When our Western partners are battling terrorism with words, we are full of determination to carry the matter through to the end with deeds." Read more