Lavrov Warns of Bloody Chaos if Syria Talks Fail

Local Editor

Russia on Thursday warned of ''bloody chaos'' in Syria should peace talks led by international envoy al-Akhdar Ibrahimi fail to end a 21 month conflict.

In this context, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States and other players must redouble their efforts amid fading hopes for a political solution to the bloodshed.
"The alternative to a peaceful solution is bloody chaos. The longer it continues, the greater its scale -- and the worse things get for all," Lavrov told the Interfax news agency.
Lavrov's comments followed a meeting with a senior Syrian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad.

Lavrov's meeting with the Syrian delegation came as Ibrahimi wound down several days of talks in Damascus by calling for ''real change'' and the quick introduction of a transition government ''with all powers''.
However, the armed opposition immediately rejected any transition plan.

Meanwhile, Lavrov did not disclose the full details of his talks with the visiting Syrians.
But he conceded that hopes were fading for a Russian-backed initiative drafted in Geneva in June.
"Considering what is happening in Syria, the chances for such a solution based on the Geneva communique... are diminishing," Lavrov told Interfax. "But they still exist, and we must fight for them."

He said recent tri-party consultations that included Ibrahimi and US officials showed that chances of a peaceful solution based on the Geneva agreement ''still exist''.
''We need coordinated action from all the parties, and they must speak in one voice,'' Russia's top diplomat said.
In parallel, Lavrov highlighted the necessity of halting violence and working to launch internal dialogue immediately to identify the standards of political reform to meet the interests of all Syrians.


Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org