Geneva II: Lavrov, “No Deal With Terrorists Under Any Circumstance”

nsnbc international
Jan 26, 2014

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has emphasized Russia’s red line with regards to terrorism, saying that “a dialog with terrorist groups fighting in Syria will not be held under any circumstance”. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani backed up Russia’s position in an interview on CNN, saying that “the first step for solving the crisis in Syria lies in expelling terrorists”. Meanwhile, UN/AL envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi has held talks with both the Syrian government’s and the foreign-backed opposition and indicates that talks continue in Geneva on Monday.

In February 2013 a US veto to a Russian sponsored UN Security Council resolution, condemning all forms of terrorism, regardless by whom and under which circumstances they are being committed, threw the two partners for peace into a state of diplomatic deep freeze.

Rusia drafted the resolution, following a devastating terrorist attack in Damascus, and Lavrov responded to the US veto by blasting the US administration for double standards.

On Sunday, in Geneva, the Russian Foreign Minister underlined Russia’s red line with regards to terrorism, saying:

“A dialog with terrorist groups fighting in Syria will not be held under any circumstance. … We refuse holding a dialog with terrorist groups, it is against our principles, and we wouldn’t advise others to do that. … The negotiation process has no room for groups like Jabhat al-Nusrah, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and other branches of the al-Qaeda organization. … Finding a solution for the humanitarian crisis in Syria will be sure to promote confidence in the Geneva II negotiations”.

Sergei Lavrov recalled the words of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, at the 2013 G8 summit in Northern Ireland, when Cameron called for addressing the Syrian government and the opposition for cooperation in eradicating terrorism from Syria.

Lavrov emphasized, that considering the scale of the terrorism that is endemic to Syria and Iraq, the eradication of it must be considered a prime priority. Without mentioning the United States in particular, the Russian Foreign Minister deconstructed recent attempts of the US administration to position certain of the terrorist organizations as good or moderate and worth supporting, while positioning others as radical and extremist, by including both the ISIS and “any other al-Qaeda brigades” in his denunciation of terrorism.

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