Russia stressed its strong opposition to the international move to extend the UN mandate to bring humanitarian aid to Syria, refusing to open the border crossings.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov strongly condemned the United States, accusing it of creating the humanitarian crisis in Syria because of the unilateral sanctions.
Speaking at a press conference with his Bahraini counterpart, Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Lavrov said that both countries agreed to continue closely coordinating their positions in the international arena, including at the UN.
“We have common approaches to the majority of urgent issues that are in the focus of attention of the UN Security Council,” he said, including the absence of an alternative to the peaceful political settlement in Syria based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
“This settlement implies immediate efforts to resolve humanitarian problems in Syria, which have been caused both by illegal sanctions and the foreign occupation of its natural resources, hydrocarbons, and fertile soil.”
Moscow threatened to use its veto in the Security Council against a Western draft resolution to open two additional crossings for the entry of humanitarian aid, in addition to Bab al-Hawa crossing in Idlib countryside, which is currently the only crossing for aid delivery.
Russian officials said that the humanitarian crisis is not caused by the crossings that could be used to provide supplies to terrorists, but the Western sanctions.
Russian sources hinted at the possibility of solving the humanitarian issue if the West agrees that the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid take place under the supervision of the Astana trio and in coordination with Damascus.
Lavrov called on the Syrian Kurds to engage in dialogue with the Damascus government, indicating that Moscow is familiar with their concern that the government does not want to take their interests into account.
Lavrov pointed out that the Kurdish leaders sought Russia’s help to “build bridges” with Damascus when former US President Donald Trump announced that all US troops would leave Syria. However, when Washington changed its mind and said they were staying, “Kurdish colleagues lost interest in our meetings.”
He warned against the US attempts to encourage Syrian Kurds to engage in separatism.
“I hope that Kurds who seek normal relations with Damascus understand the provocative nature and great danger of these games.”
Concerning the threat posed by ISIS, Lavrov believes that it did not seriously increase in Iraq and Syria, and it was possible to thwart any plans for creating a caliphate, which was nurtured by the so-called ISIS.
“We stand strong with the Iraqi government in its efforts to eliminate the remaining isolated terrorist groups. The same can be said about Syria.”
He also noted that countries that have declared the fight against terrorism as the reason for their illegal presence in Syria, should deal primarily with the elimination of this threat rather than occupy significant portions of Syria and illegally exploit its natural resources.
Lavrov welcomed Manama's decision to reopen its embassy in Damascus, expressing Russia's readiness to continue exchanging assessments with the Bahraini side in Syria at the level of diplomatic missions.
“Naturally, we consider Syria’s return to the Arab League an important step for the near future.”
