Russian FM in Syria for talks with Assad

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in the Syrian capital, Damascus, for talks with President Bashar al-Assad, the Russian foreign ministry says. Lavrov, who is also accompanied by Mikhail Fradkov, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, arrived in Damascus on Tuesday. According to Russian officials, Lavrov traveled to Damascus because Moscow sought “the swiftest stabilization of the situation in Syria on the basis of the swiftest implementation of democratic reforms whose time has come.” Syrians took to the streets of the Mazzeh neighborhood in the capital to welcome the Russian foreign minister and thank Moscow for its support of Syria. On February 4, Russia and China vetoed a Western-backed draft resolution on Syria at the UN Security Council. They rejected the draft as “unbalanced.” The draft, presented to the Security Council by Morocco, initially supported an Arab League plan that called on President Assad to resign and hand over power to a deputy to form a national unity government “with the opposition within two months.” However, during a meeting on February 2, UN Security Council ambassadors met to consider a revised version of the resolution, which no longer included the explicit reference to Assad handing over his powers and also excluded the explicit call for a new national unity government. The Western-backed draft resolution on Syria still “fully supports” the Arab League plan to “facilitate a political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system.” Russia and China had also vetoed a European-drafted UN Security Council resolution on Syria on October 5, 2011. Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of President Assad. The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of being behind the unrest, but Damascus says “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” are responsible for the turmoil, which it says is being orchestrated from abroad.

Assad ready for talks, 'fully commits' to end violence - Lavrov Syria’s President Assad has agreed to talks with the opposition and will follow the Arab League’s roadmap, increasing the number of observers in the country, even in the most hostile areas in Syria. This follows talks with the Russian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Assad stands firm in his resolve to stop violence in his country, wherever it should come from, said Lavrov. The parties reaffirmed their readiness to use the Arab League’s initiative to find “a swift way out of the crisis.” ­Main outcomes of the meeting: 1. Assad agrees to talks with the opposition 2. Assad agrees to keep to the Arab League’s peace plan 3. Assad calls to continue the Arab League’s observing mission 4. Assad calls to boost the number of monitors and send them to the most violent areas 5. Assad commits to ending the violence 6. Referendum to be called shortly to vote on the new constitution 7. Syria to hold parliamentary elections under a new multi-party system 8. Russia to coordinate talks between the Syrian regime and opposition Damascus is to shortly announce a national referendum to draw up a new constitution. According to President Assad, the text of the new constitution has already been drafted and will soon be published in newspapers and on the web. It is set to deprive the ruling political party of its monopoly. Officials expect the referendum to be set for March. After the referendum, the country will go to parliamentary polls, so far planned for May. The opposition Syrian National Council replied it does not object to Russia mediating the talks. “Syria is notifying the Arab League that it is interested in the League continuing its work and increasing the number of observers,” declared Lavrov. The League can make its decision now, but Damascus is definitely giving the green light to such a move, he added. Moscow has called on the League to expand its observing mission, dubbing it a crucial stabilizing factor for Syria. Lavrov's visit to Syria came amid international anger over Russia and China’s veto of what they saw as a “premature” UN Security Council vote. The Russian FM dubbed the resolution draft text “one-sided” and international reaction to the veto “hysterical.” The UK and US simultaneously withdrew their ambassadors to Damascus Monday, with the UK Foreign Secretary calling President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime “murderous and doomed.” Italy, Spain and France reportedly recalled their ambassadors from Syria on Tuesday. http://rt.com/news/syria-lavrov-talks-damascus-657/