Russia: No Meeting on Syria

Local Editor

Russia categorically rejected Western media reports claiming that Moscow is planning to hold talks with Syrian opposition on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference about "a political transition for Syria."

On Friday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov denied that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would meet on Saturday with US Vice President Joe Biden, international envoy to Syria al-Akhdar Ibrahimi , and so-called Syrian National Council chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib to discuss the exacerbating Syrian conflict.
"Speculations in the media about a Munich meeting between Lavrov, Biden, Ibrahimi and al-Khatib are false," Gatilov stated.
He added, "As of today, there is no such meeting mentioned in the program of the Russian foreign minister."

A senior Russian diplomat played down reports that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would hold joint talks with a Syrian opposition leader and US and United Nations officials in Munich on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, discussed the situation in Syria during a meeting with the permanent members at the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, said that the Putin discussed the issues listed on the international agenda, with focus on the situation in Syria.
There was also a detailed exchange of views on building the Russian armed forces, the spokesman said, adding that the meeting also tackled issues related to domestic and foreign security.


Source: News agencies, Edited by moqawama.org