Lavrov: Necessity of peaceful settlement to crisis in Syria, unifying efforts to implement Annan's six-point plan

MOSCOW_ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia and Germany have agreed on the need to resolve the crisis in Syria peacefully and unify international positions with respect to implementing the six-point plan of UN Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.

In a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Moscow on Thursday, Lavrov said Russia supports the efforts aiming at unifying the international community to stop the violence and withdraw Syrian armed forces and armed groups under the supervision of UN and international observers.

Lavrov stressed the importance of convincing all parties of conflict in Syria to sit, as quickly as possible, at the negotiation table to reach a settlement in accordance with the Geneva Agreement.

Lavrov stressed that the imposition of peace on Syria by the UN Security Council is a kind of hidden outside armed interference. " Geneva Agreement provides for the need for putting a transitional mechanism involving the government and the opposition which means that the Syrian themselves will solve the crisis in their country, " he said.

Lavrov added: "The position of the most radical parties in the international community towards the crisis in Syria will lead to more violence and escalation of the crisis and finally to a great war,"

He stressed that Russia's position is based on the necessity of preventing such directions to be transformed into a war and reaching a peaceful settlement to the crisis with the participation of all Syrians.

The Russian Official said " Russia's position aims to achieve peace and not to use force," stressing that all international parties should coordinate their positions to ask the parties of conflict to stop the violence.

Lavrov added we deny the logic of certain parties which says the regime in Syria must leave power.

For its part, the German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, said the German efforts seek to implement Annan's six-point plan to resolve the crisis in Syria.

Thursday 05-07-2012