Moscow: Fighting ISIS in Syria impossible without coordination with the government

Moscow, SANA – Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the US-led international alliance fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Syria will not have its efforts coming to fruition if there is no coordination and cooperation with Syrian government.

“In any case, there is no hope here of gaining victory over the terrorists without a broad coordination with the Syrian government,” said the Ministry’s spokesman Alexander Lukashevich on Tuesday.

“Terrorists are strengthening their rule on a part of Syria’s territory,” he added, noting that “the international coalition has not solved the problems” in relation to the Syrian Ayn al-Arab city, on the northern border with Turkey, which ISIS has been for weeks trying to seize control of.
Lukashevich said Russia’s main goal is to continue providing assistance to Syria in the fight against terrorism and supporting the efforts aimed at resolving the crisis in Syria by political means based on the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012 “through a broad dialogue without foreign dictation and preconditions.”

The Russian diplomat stressed that preparations are underway for a meeting in Moscow between the Syrian government and the “opposition”. He however refused to tell the exact date for the meeting.

He indicated big differences as far as the viewpoints of the “opposition” are concerned, which he said can be clearly noticed in the statements of its leaders.

“Another case,” he added, “is how the opposition side will be represented and it is a question to them. This participation should not be limited to the participation of the National coalition as there are many other forces who are also interested in the dialogue.”

Haifa Said

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