Russia and Jordan have called on all parties concerned to exert efforts for holding an international conference on Syria.
A statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday announced that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with his Jordanian Counterpart Nasser Judeh in Moscow yesterday, focused on the situation in Syria where viewpoints were exchanged.
The two ministers stressed the need to stop violence and start talks between the government and all the opposition groups that should be united on the basis of willingness to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.
The statement added that both sides highlighted the importance of effective efforts by all parties concerned to embody the Russian-American initiative for holding an international conference next June 30 with the aim of coordinating ways of applying the Geneva statement.
According to the statement, Lavrov and Judeh stressed that the fundamental solution to the problem of displaced Syrians is directly linked to the political solution to the crisis as soon as possible despite the importance of urgent assistances.
Lavrov and Ki-moon Stress on Garnering Support for Russian-U.S. Agreement
Lavrov stressed during a phone call Thursday evening with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, the importance for the UN to effectively participate in the international efforts seeking a political peaceful settlement for the crisis in Syria.
A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry issued Friday said the conversation between Lavrov and Ki-moon, who made the phone call, focused on the need to garner the support, particularly of all groups of the Syrian opposition, to the Russian-U.S. agreement on holding an international conference to implement the Geneva communiqué.
Lavrov and Brahimi Highlights Need t Unify Opposition for Dialogue
In another phone call made by the UN Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, the Russian Foreign Minister stressed the need to unify all opposition groups on the basis of getting prepared for dialogue as an inevitable condition to hold an international conference to launch an internal political Syrian dialogue to implement the terms of Geneva communiqué.
Lavrov and US counterpart John Kerry announced last Tuesday in Moscow that the Russian and U.S. sides agreed on the need to preserve Syria's safety and territorial integrity.
Both sides also agreed on holding an international conference at the end of this month that will serve as a follow-up to the Geneva communiqué.
Lavrov: Russia Exports Defensive Arms to Syria According to Signed Contracts
Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said that Russia is bound by signed contracts to export defensive weapons to Syria to enable it to defend itself against air strikes.
Following his meeting with his Polish and German counterparts in Warsaw on Friday, Lavrov said that ''Russia is not sending or planning to send banned offensive weapons to Syria.''
Lavrov said that Russia sold Syria air defense systems long time ago according to contracts between the two sides, affirming that the weapons are not offensive.
''Russia is completing deliveries of technology that consists of anti-aircraft systems according to previously signed contracts, ''said Lavrov.
Russian figures have repeatedly stressed that Russia will continue to provide Syria with weapons according to signed contracts, belying media reports that Russia intends to stop arms exports to Syria.
German FM: International Conference on Syria Chance to End Crisis
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that the international conference to discuss the crisis in Syria is an opportunity to end the crisis in the country.
Following a meeting with his Russian and Polish counterparts on Friday in Warsaw, Westerwelle said that the international conference on Syria could be an opportunity to reach a mutual solution to the crisis in the country as ''an escalation should be avoided.''
He voiced confidence that the process will be met with success if all sides renounced threatening acts, adding that ''arms exports to Syria should be stopped.''
Germany has opposed a drive by France and Britain to lift the EU arms embargo so as to deliver weapons to the armed terrorist groups in Syria. English Bulletin
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