Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Syrian resident Bashar al-Assad would not step down, adding that the deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey directed at Iran.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Syrian resident Bashar al-Assad would not step down, adding that the deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey directed at Iran.
According to Interfax and Reuters, Lavrov said that "neither side is going to win" the war in Syria, adding that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not step down even if pressured to do so by Moscow and Beijing.
He said that Moscow has rejected pleas from several unspecified countries to offer Assad asylum if he leaves Syria.
The Russian FM made the comments late on December 21 on his plane while returning from an EU-Russia summit in Brussels.
He also told reporters that the "Western sponsors" of the Syrian opposition are losing control over it.
In a separate interview with Russia Today, Lavrov commented on why NATO was so eager to deploy Patriot missiles on Turkey's border with Syria – and which country was the actual target.
While many analysts say the Patriot system's deployment in Turkey suggests that it could be targeted at Iran, Lavrov confirmed that “the configuration as it is being presented in the media really looks like it could be used against Iran.”
The Russian FM said he believed that West governments, which tend to pursue immediate intervention, have missed many opportunities to actually help end the conflict in Syria. This is as Russia made several bids to find a peaceful solution for the violence, but was undermined by those unwilling to respect the agreements.
“Some of the regional players were suggesting to us: ‘Why don't you tell President Assad to leave? We will arrange for some safe haven for him,’” Lavrov told RT, adding that if indeed those who suggested this had this in mind, they should have taken it directly to Assad.
“Why shall they use us as a postman? If President Assad is interested – this must be discussed directly with him,” he stressed.
