Lavrov: West Realizes that Al-Assad’s Toppling To Worsen Syria Crisis

Local Editor

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Western politicians have started to realize that the overthrowing of [Syrian President Bashar]al-Assad's government might only lead to worsening of the Syrian crisis.
In an interview with RT, Lavrov highlighted that "the shift has been caused by the rise of "jihadists" in Syria and the threat of the country turning into a caliphate.'

"The attitudes are changing in Western countries, they are becoming more realistic in their approach towards settling the Syrian crisis," said Lavrov. "The threat of terrorism in Syria, the threat of "jihadists" coming to power, the threat of creating a caliphate with extremist rules, the threat of violating the rights of minorities, or even depriving them of life, are the main problems."

He also stated that "understanding that changing the regime is not the way to solve this problem" but a way to "facilitate the arrival of "jihadists" to power."
What worried Sergey Lavrov is that his 'Western colleagues are trying to "flirt" with the so-called "Islamic front", which has recently been struggling for influence with the so-called Free Syrian Army."

Lavrov believed the "Islamic front" could be ideologically close to such al-Qaeda-linked groups as al-Nusra.
Lavrov doubted that the so-called Syrian National coalition is in control of all of the rebel groups, and could represent them all at the Geneva-2 talks.

On Syria's chemical weapons, Lavrov added: "Moscow is sure that destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles will be finished by June 30."
"I believe that deadline 30 June to destroy chemical weapons in Syria to be met," Lavrov.

Source: News agencies, Edited by website team