Moscow said on Monday that the “Friends of Syria” meeting in Istanbul was one-sided, adding it contradicted the goal of a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis.

Moscow said on Monday that the “Friends of Syria” meeting in Istanbul was one-sided, adding it contradicted the goal of a peaceful settlement of the Syrian crisis.

"Unfortunately, the meeting in Istanbul was as one-sided" as previous such gatherings, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Its list of participants did not include either the Syrian government or many of the influential groups of the Syrian political opposition”, the statement added.

"The promises and intentions to deliver direct military and logistical support to the armed... opposition that were voiced in Istanbul unquestionably contradict the goals of a peaceful settlement to the civil conflict in Syria”.

As it slammed Istanbul meeting, Russia reaffirmed its support for Annan's initiative and said it would continue "trying to achieve an immediate ceasefire and an end to violence from all sides".

The meeting on Sunday recognized the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) as the "legitimate representative" of all Syrians and the "leading interlocutor for the opposition with the international community."