Russia is not hatching any secret project with Syria and Iran ahead of the peace conference in Switzerland next week, Russian Foreign Minister assured.
We are talking today to Javad Zarif. Tomorrow we will talk to Walid Muallem. This does not imply any trilateral project. Our three countries dont have any unique position on the Syrian crisis,Lavrov said, speaking in Moscow with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif.
Lavrov assured that Russias interest in sponsoring the so-called Geneva 2 conference, which is to start on January 22, is to stop violence in Syria, preserve its territorial integrity, protect its ethnic and religious minorities and reach greater stability for the entire Middle East.
These are exactly what the UN Security Council statements say, including the Resolution 2118. Its exactly what the Geneva communiqu says,he stressed.
He also reiterated Russias commitment towards seeing Iran as a negotiator at the conference.
Zarif said that if Iran is invited by the UN Secretary General, it will attend.
If we are invited, we will participate. If we are not, we will not participate,he said.
Washington has been objecting to Tehrans participation, saying that it needs to commit to results of the first Geneva conference on the Syrian crisis. Iran insists that it will not accept any special conditions on its participation in the talks.