Zasypkin: Will not Stop until Liberation of All Syrian Territory from Terrorism

Fatima Salemeh

"ISIS" and its counterparts are expanding their circle of terrorism to include any region in the world. France had its share of this terrorism. Brutality is no longer limited to the Levant, as those who woke up too late to protect their country thought. What was taboo a year ago has become necessary today. The world has to reach a political settlement as soon as possible.

Russia did not tweet from the very beginning as other countries did. Moscow realized at an advanced stage the seriousness of the Takfiri terrorism. It looked for a political solution that preserves Syria's sovereignty. Then it used the military option as one of the ways to combat terrorism. Russia's Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin speaks to "Al-Ahed News" about intensifying the Russian military operations on Syrian territory, indicating that they will not stop until liberation of all Syrian territory from terrorism.

Here is the text of the interview:

Q: We will start with the Russian air strike yesterday [Tuesday] in Syria. The newspapers talked a lot about this strike and they considered it as the strongest and most complicated in the history of the war. What do you say in this context?

A: What happened yesterday reiterated the approach of Russian President Vladimir Putin since he took office. Moscow has a wide scope of experience in the field of counter-terrorism in several places within Russia. There is a tendency to activate military efforts in Syria more and more. We will intensify efforts in the fight against terrorism. Russia's participation militarily is an ongoing process and we will increase our operations under Article 51 of the UN Charter and [under the basis of] international legitimacy.

Q: Putin's statements about striking terrorism have increased lately. In which context do these statements come?

A: There are no compromises from our point of view. The military way is the only reason to combat terrorism. According to our point of view, all terrorists must be fought, even if any have tried to differentiate between one terrorist and the other. All armed groups are illegal. Internationally, "ISIS" and the al-Nusra Front are classified as illegal terrorist organizations.

We are standing today at a crossroads after the agreement during the meetings of Vienna on putting together a list of terrorist groups, and groups that are ready to make a deal with the legitimate army to combat terrorism. Therefore, there is no place for ambiguity in the next phase. We have to be specific to form a clear picture that facilitates the tasks within this field, whether in terms of fighting terrorism, or in the completion of the political process.

It is also worth mentioning that the targeting of the Russian aircraft in Egypt formed an additional motive to move towards combating terrorism.

Q: Do you have any new information related to the facts of the targeting of the Russian aircraft in Egypt?

A: It is clear up until now that is was a bombing. Russia announced that it would award anyone who provides it with information. Moscow wants documents and proof. We are quite convinced that terrorism is responsible for what happened. As we are convinced also, that "ISIS" and its counterparts are our enemies. We are looking for the organizer and executor of this terrorist act. We are cooperating with the Egyptian government, and we refuse that this incident affects relations between the two countries.

Q: Returning to your fight against terrorism on the Syrian territory, when would you stop?

A: We will not retreat before eliminating terrorism. We will continue until the very end. The task of the Russian air force is to support the movement of the Syrian Army to liberate the territories from terrorism.

Q: Are you preparing for a military surprise?

A: I cannot speak in military terms. I am speaking as a diplomat. Moscow is carrying out great efforts in recent years to modernize the Russian Army and this is a long-term and continuous program over the next five years. There is a great Russian interest to make a quantum leap within the military field.

Q: With whom is Russia coordinating in this field?

A: Russia is coordinating with the Syrian regime because it is the responsible, legal authority. We are moving towards forming a front that include all the parties involved to fight terrorism, but it is not guaranteed because it depends on the positions of the other parties. This relates to Washington and the International Coalition. It is a goal we seek to achieve. In this context, Putin instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry yesterday to activate its contact with all partners and friends worldwide in this field.

Q: How do you evaluate the Vienna meetings?

A: The atmosphere is positive compared to the previous period when inflexibility prevailed in the political process. We can notice this fact if we recall the results of the Geneva Conference and the Russian Initiative. We did not reap effective results because of the war in Ukraine, the deterioration of relations between Russia and the West, and the freezing of US cooperation with Russia. This led to a gap in the political efforts in Russia. Now I think that the ambience is favorable to find a political settlement.

Q: Why do you think the world is convinced today to fight terrorism?

A: The world began to realize more so that the terrorist threat is no longer limited to the Levant. It began to expand, and what happened in Paris is a proof of that. There are no safe islands in the world. Terrorists may target any country around the world. The shift for grasping the idea of terrorism was slow. Now we hope for the development of this situation to be faster. France can now play a role in fighting terrorism. It can also encourage others to make bigger moves.

Q: There are talks about a Turkish establishment of a buffer zone in Syria. What do you think about this idea?

A: We have a position against all buffer zone projects. Syria is a sovereign state. Therefore, we are against any such projects.

Q: Finally, how would you comment on the bombings that hit Lebanon last week?

A: We strongly condemn the brutal terrorism that occurred. These bombings must unite us to face the terrorists. We praise the efforts of the Lebanese army and security services and stand by Lebanon, for it is on the frontline against terrorism.

Source: al-Ahed News, Translated and Edited by website team