29 Mar 2024
Saturday 20 January 2018 - 14:42
Story Code : 290669

Lavrov denies reports of Russian troops' withdrawal from Syria's Afrin

Sputnik- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a press conference following a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

During the press conference, Lavrov Commented on the situation in Syrian Afrin, denying that Russia had withdrawn troops from the city. Turkish news agency Anadolu previously reported that Russian military had been leaving Afrin.

Turkey has been threatening to launch an operation in Afrin since last week, after the US announced its decision to start training a border protection force composed of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which has been described by Ankara as a "terrorist army." On January 19, the operation de facto started.

Later, Lavrov proceeded withthe explanation ofhow the terrorists attacked the Russian military base inHmeymim, Syria onDecember 31.
"There has tobe 23-24 observer posts inTurkey, and unfortunately a lack ofsuch posts inIdlib has become the reason forthe terrorist attack onthe Hmeymim base."


The non-proliferation ofweapons ofmass destruction was onthe agenda ofthe UN Security Council meeting onJanuary 19. Commenting onPresident Donald Trump's accusations againstRussia, who blames Moscow forpreventing the resolution ofthe North Korean issue and allegedly supplying Pyongyang withfuel inviolation ofinternational sanctions, Sergei Lavrov said:
"If the United States does not file complaints aboutnon-implementation ofthe sanctions againstNorth Korea, it means that Washington does not have evidence."


The Russian Foreign Minister added that Moscow was ready fordialogue withWashington, despiteclaims that the US faced growing threats fromrevisionist powers, including Russia and China, asoutlined inthe new National Security Strategy ofthe United States.
"We regret that the US aspires toassert its leadership, issuing such strategies and concepts, naming Russia and China asthreats inits defense strategy, instead ofopting fora constructive dialogue based oninternational law," said Lavrov.


The document describes Russia asa country that is "now undermining the international order fromwithin the system byexploiting its benefits while simultaneously undercutting its principles and "rules ofthe road."

Russian Foreign Minister nonetheless expressed hopes that the United States would eventually realize the need todevelop relations withMoscow, including inthe security sphere.
"Improving relations betweenWashington and Moscow depends onPresident Trump's ability totackle the russophobe intrigues."


When asked aboutthe US role inthe Middle East, Lavrov said that the US decision towithhold UN funding forPalestinians "undermined ina serious way" efforts tomeet the needs ofrefugees.
"This decision undermines ina serious way the efforts tosatisfy the needs ofPalestinian refugees inthe region," Lavrov said througha translator. "We'll consult all stakeholders and we'll see what we can do."


Earlier this week Washington announced its decision topay the UN Relief and Works Agency $60 milion, butput onhold the payment ofanother $65 million it had been expected tooffer, withthe US Department ofState refusing toprovide an additional $45 million infood aid it had promised forPalestinians.

The minister noted that Russia was planning meetings withthe heads ofIsrael and Palestine, offering Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu tomeet onRussian soil.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the Iran nuclear deal could not survive if any side withdrew fromthe agreement.
"This agreement cannot be implemented if one ofthe participants unilaterally steps outof it. It will fall apart, there will be no deal then," Lavrov told reporters.


He elaborated that the deal was not dead yet, and Russia would put inmuch effort topreserve it. Furthermore, Lavrov said that Moscow had received information, according towhich, the United States would try toconvince the EU tochange its stance onthe deal. Meanwhile, he added that "Washington's demands related tothe nuclear deal withIran would be inadmissible forTehran," and noted that renegotiating the deal has no prospects.

Last week US President Donald Trump said that if the "disastrous flaws" ofthe 2015 multilateral accord tocurb Iran's nuclear program were not fixed within120 days, then Washington would step out.

Russia believes that there is no need toblame Iran foreverything that happens inthe Middle East, and considers it impossible toisolate Tehran fromany issues related tothe region.

As forthe Syrian talks, Lavrov said that duringthe last tour ofnegotiations, the opposition's delegation started demanding regime change even beforethe talks started. The minister added that he hoped this will not happen duringthe next roundof negotiations inVienna.
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