Lavrov Slams US Double Standards Over ’ISIL’
Local Editor
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed what he calls Washington's "double standards in order to implement geopolitical designs," including over the fight against terrorism and the so-called "ISIL" group.
Russian FM Sergei Lavrov
Speaking at an open lecture on Russian foreign policy issues on October 20, Lavrov accused the West of "strengthening the position of extremists" in Syria, after "proclaiming the slogan of the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad."
"This contributed to the rapid proliferation of the threat posed by the terrorist group known as the "ISIL"...which has captured large swaths of Iraq and Syria and which runs them according to Shari'a law," Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister also slammed Washington's foreign policy in Iraq, saying that after the presence of American troops in that country for over 10 years, Iraq was "struggling with the deepest political crisis and a real threat to its existence as a unified state."
Lavrov said that Moscow is "providing consistent support for the governments of Iraq, Syria, and other countries in the region, in their opposition to power-hungry religious extremists, including through large-scale deliveries of weapons and military hardware, to actually increase their combat effectiveness."
At the same time, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow "does not participate in the US-led national coalition" against the "ISIL".
"As you know, as well as the strikes on terrorists on Syrian territory, there is also armed support for the opposition, which in parallel with the Islamic State fights the Assad government, but which is considered by the Americans to be moderate, and therefore acceptable," Lavrov said.
He further added: "The aim is to support this opposition in such a way that it gains the strength needed to topple the government in Syria...We are discussing this with our American colleagues, trying to understand their logic, but we have not gotten clear explanations."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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