Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has turned down a U.S. offer to act as an intermediary in efforts to convince Syrian leader Bashar Assad to step down voluntarily, a news report said Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked Lavrov for diplomatic assistance in facilitating Assad's departure and forming a coalition government in Syria during their recent meetings in Phnom Penh and Dublin, according to Kommersant.
The U.S. is concerned that the Assad regime could use chemical weapons against its opponents and that these weapons could fall into the hands of Islamist terrorists, the report said.
Although Moscow has repeatedly backed the idea of creating a coalition government, Russian officials have refused to pressure Assad by calling for his resignation or voting for additional sanctions against the Syrian government in the UN.
Russia also downplays the possibility that Assad's supporters would use chemical weapons. On Sunday, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council, said that Syrian authorities had assured Moscow that they wouldn't embark on chemical warfare with their own people, Itar-Tass said.
More than 40,000 people have died since the Syrian civil war erupted in March 2011, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday, adding that half a million Syrians had sought refuge in other countries and nearly 3 million had been internally displaced since the fighting broke out.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
