Russia Not Worried of Al-Assad’s Fate, Not in Business of Regime Change

Local Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin strongly defended on Thursday Russia's implacable opposition to military intervention in Syria and he sharply chastised the United States for its role in toppling Moammar Khadafy of Libya.

In parallel, Putin insisted that his country isn't worried of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fate but on Syria's stability.
In response to a question at his annual end-of-year news conference, he reiterated confidence that Russia was right in defending Syria.

In this context, Putin pointed to Libya as his evidence that intervention by the NATO alliance of Western ­nations had caused more harm than good.
‘‘No matter how they explained their position, the state is falling apart,'' he said. ‘‘Interethnic, inter-clan and intertribal conflicts continue. Moreover, it went as far as the murder of the United States ambassador.'' He added, ‘‘I was asked here about mistakes: Isn't it a mistake? And you want us to constantly repeat these mistakes in other countries?''

Moreover, Putin stressed that "the Syrian people are the only ones to determine their destiny and the future of their country."
He further urged a peaceful solution that brings violence in Syria to a halt and prevents the collapse and the fragmentation of the Syrian state.
The Russian president noted that the Syrians should agree on how to live, how to ensure their security and stability and how to build their state, "after which we can move to change, not vice versa."
For his part, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that his country is "not in the business of regime change."

In an interview with Russia Today, Lavrov believed that West governments, which tend to pursue immediate intervention, have missed many opportunities to actually help end the conflict in Syria.
"Some of the regional players were suggesting to us: ‘Why don't you tell President al-Assad to leave? We will arrange for some safe haven for him,'" Lavrov revealed, adding that if indeed those who suggested this had this in mind, they should have taken it directly to al-Assad.

"Why shall they use us as a postman? If President al-Assad is interested - this must be discussed directly with him," he stressed.

Lavrov also commented on why NATO was so eager to deploy Patriot missiles on Turkey's border with Syria. "The configuration as it is being presented in the media really looks like it could be used against Iran," he said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org