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NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / AFP-Getty Images
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left, speaks with his visiting Egypt counterpart Mohamed Amr as they meet on the Syrian crisis in Moscow on Dec. 28.
Russia urged the Syrian government on Friday to act on its stated readiness for dialogue with its opponents, throwing its weight behind a diplomatic push to end a 21-month-old conflict in Syria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he had urged Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad to emphasize his government's openness to dialogue with the opposition during talks in Moscow on Thursday.
"We actively encouraged ... the Syrian leadership to make as concrete as possible its declared readiness for dialogue with the opposition," Lavrov told reporters after talks with his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Kamel Amr in Moscow.
He said the Syrian government should stress its readiness for talks on the widest possible range of matters, in line with an international agreement in Geneva last June calling for a transitional government.
"I think a realistic and detailed assessment of the situation inside Syria will prompt reasonable opposition members to seek ways to start a political dialogue," added Lavrov, who last week said that neither side would win by force.
Putin says fate of Assad unimportant to him
Russia expects to meet a senior U.S. diplomat on Syria next month to discuss with international Syria envoy Lakhdar Brahimi his plans to end the civil war there, the Kremlin's envoy to the region said earlier on Friday.
Brahimi will visit Moscow on Saturday for talks on the results of his negotiations with Syrian President Bashar Assad and his opponents during a five-day trip to Damascus in which he called for political change to end the bloodshed.
"We will listen to what Lakhdar Brahimi has to say about the situation in Syria, and after that, probably, there will be a decision to hold a new meeting of the 'three Bs'," Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the RIA news agency -- in a word play on the first letter of the diplomats' last names.
Bogdanov, U.S. Undersecretary of State William Burns and Brahimi, the joint special representative of the United Nations and the Arab League, agreed that a political solution to the crisis was necessary and possible in talks earlier this month.
Bogdanov, the Kremlin's special envoy for Middle East Affairs, said the three would meet again in January after the holidays.
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Russia has also invited the head of the internationally-recognized, opposition Syrian National Council, Moaz al-Khatib, to talks, he said, in comments that appeared underline Moscow's commitment to helping Brahimi seek a way out of the crisis.
Brahimi, who has called for a transitional government to rule until elections, is trying to broker a peaceful transfer of power in Syria, where more than 44,000 people have been killed in a revolt against four decades of Assad family rule.
Past peace efforts have floundered as what began as peaceful protests in March 2011 turned into civil war. The conflict has become an increasingly sectarian struggle between mostly Sunni Muslim rebels and Assad's security forces, drawn primarily from his Shiite-rooted Alawite minority.
Assad forces accused of using 'poisonous gases'
World powers think Russia, which has given Assad military and diplomatic aid during the uprising, has the ear of Syria's government and must be a central player in any peace talks.
Moscow has tried to distance itself from Assad in recent months and has denied it is propping him up. But it maintains Assad's exit cannot be a precondition for talks and has repeatedly said Western powers should not impose solutions on Syria.
Lavrov warned on Thursday that time was running out to find a peaceful solution to the conflict and halt a descent into "bloody chaos".
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Leave a Comment:
HERP DERP!!!
I am not a Russian fan, but I commend them on their efforts in taking a leadership role to solve the Syrian war. Unlike the Chinese who seem content to do nothing.
I actually agree freedomfrys But I also believe that we are no better than the Chineese:
I also agree with others who say the US can't "do it alone" but I think the US bit, by bit is loosing all influence in the world... we are becoming an "Australia" in this hemisphere and the only interest we are generating worldwide is financial...... If Bush started the fire..... Obama has fanned the flames and our status as a independent nation and "world power" is the burn victim.
Putin is a good one to advise anyone to negotiate with domestic opposition.
Russians like Chinese are too smart players.
When they see someone losing, they gradually withdraw support.
We had heard lots about Russian advisors to Saddam stationed in Iraq and so on.
Did we find anyone in Iraq after the NATO forces invaded Iraq.
It is nothing unusual that Russians are not backing Assad these days.
We don't hear much about Chinese.
May be: Assad is losing badly!
The big question is not "What are the Russians doing?", but "What are the Iranians doing?" Iranians have more to lose with a rebel Sunni government on it's border. Iranians will counter any offer made by the Russians. Assad will accept Iranian help until the very end.
The Russians have secured much of the chemical WMD's. They have been trying to end this tragedy in Syria, but they do so because a peaceful Syria is obviously in their best interest. None the less they are a positive force.
I don't like the Egyptians involved in this. The more they get involved the more the Brotherhood looks like a positive political force which gives them even more power. The Brotherhood is a clever, Islamist radical organization that knows how to survive and strengthen in the Middle East. Their objective is control of the whole Middle East. Geopolitical boundaries mean nothing to them. They have their eye on Syria, and will use Hamas and perhaps Hezbollah (even though it is Shi'ite) to achieve their goals.
Good. Let Russia push them for a while (Syria is playing with their weapons, anyway). Let the other world powers get their hands dirty for a change. Everyone expects the U.S. to step in and be the peacekeeper for every nation on this planet and to end every conflict, but we do not own the world and we cannot impress our values onto those that don't want them or aren't ready for them. Heck, we couldn't even get Iraq and Afghanistan right in terms of "peacekeeping." (Oh, wait, "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED." My bad.)
As a side note, the U.S. has been in an open period of war since August 1990--it may have arbitrarily "ended" at different times, but it has not officially ended. Official war dates can be found here: http://www.sdlegion.org/Department%20PDF%20Files/pamsection1_06.pdf
It has become normal practice that when Russians run for lives, we enter to lose the lives of poor soldiers.
Afghanistan and Iraq are some examples.
Assad knows he can't win and could seek safe haven in a number of countries with 100 mill or so but like Saddam wealth doesn't satisfy like power. He'll probably end up using chemical weapons and we with european allies likely intervene.
Too late for talks..........Assad has made that clear he will hang on until the bitter end!
I dare say that Assad will leave on the last plane out. Or at least he'll send his family. The Russians are probably advising him on what happened to the Romanov family after the Russian revolution.
This war will not end well, and I have my doubts that peace is an option.
In some way, in spite of Assad's regime, the man Assad is a kind of like-able guy. I don't think that he personally enjoys the killing that is going on around him. He is one of the few secular leaders left in the middle east. But kismet, (fate), beyond his control, has him dangling from a rope, with a meat grinder spinning beneath his feet.
Maybe the Russians should have steped up 18 months ago?? But moma always said, Stupid is as Stupid does!
"Brahimi will visit Moscow on Saturday for talks on the results of his negotiations with Syrian President Bashar Assad and his opponents during a five-day trip to Damascus in which he called for political change to end the bloodshed."
Brahimi, a UN and Arab League representative means, then it will be highly partisan decisions and actions dictated by the seventh century highly corrupt, despotic, barbaric, beastly and bigoted Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and other Arab League nations.
There was rebellion of Shiites against the despotic and highly corrupt Sunni ruler of Bahrain.
Brave Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwaiti, UAE and other Arab League nations sent their forces and just quelled the Shiites rebellion in no time.
All of a sudden, these seventh century fountainheads of Sunni Islamic haters and killers, remembered “human rights violations” in Syria.
So the Sunni rulers of Arab League sent “human rights” group to Syria.
The head of the Saudi and their Arab League observers to Syria was a Sudanese Gen. The brave Gen was responsible for the genocides of at least 300000 Christians in Darfur!
Still House of Saud ruler and his 5000 princes and princesses and other Sunni rulers seventh century desert dances did not work.
Later they outsourced their dirty work to Turkey.
You see: Turkey is a strategic NATO ally and too much of Turkey’s seventh century Islamist Erdogan’s dances mean US, Britain and other NATO forces members have to pitch in.
What a way to outsource their dirty jobs to NATO forces just like Iraqi wars to save Kuwaiti, Saudi and other “oil rich” rulers!!!
Hey Jonathan Hope you a fun New years eve! I was wondering who is the Sudanese general that was sent to Syria? I know about the genocide there and there were a number of generals involved.
No one should get involved in a Civil war. Let them sort it out themselves. What would have happened if during the U.S. civil war some countries interfered and helped the South win the war?
I don't think this will end till Assad is out of the picture. As for the russians they want to look good at both sides they don't want to loose there ports. As for the China. They don't care other than it don't mess with there agenda, no one seems to know what china wants, even themselves. As for our influance. We do not have a strong leader any where in the fed government here. We are too divided to be an issue to anybody right now and the world knows this. If i were a nation that wants the US out of the pitcure right now would be the time to hit us. the lack of leadership here is the worst that i can remember, nor in history. I do blame all our so called leaders easly to point out every ones flaws but yet to see any one with a strong sollution worth a crap. Way too much self serving a holes in power. I think its time to fire all out senetors and reps. and start over with reall people not lawers or polotitons, Millitary back ground ok, privet sector employed ok. any one in goverment employee no..they had there years in the sun and lefts us all in a pool of crap they have dumped on us all.
Talks? The rebels are threatening innocent Syrian lives.
They have the ability to leave. It's not North Korea.
I say shoot them all, bomb them back to the stone age and then have discussions.
Before any discussions take place they should disarm and leave the country.
I agree with Buds. We pushed Iran to have talks with the opposition, it did not work. The reason is that the opposition has a goal, and that is to overthrow the government. Talks are only kicks the can down the road. The opposition is bent on replacing the secular regime of Syria with a theocratic dictatorship, as they did in Iran and Egypt. They should not be allowed to succeed.
Exactly.
Hey wait a minute here.... a week or so ago NBC had a front pager about how Obama had worked to get Russia to agree to stay out of Syria completely. Now NBC is running a front pager that says Russia is pushing for the Syrian government to "work with" the opposition? Somethin's fishy here in liberalville. What happened to all those WMDs the President was pushing a few weeks ago? Oops, gone. What happened to all those wonderful economic sanctions that were starving the people of the country the past two years while they were being murdered in the streets? Oops, last I heard the U.N. was going to get the U.S. to send over a couple Billion in aid... hmmmm.... tricky business for an inept President and Secretary of State.
Thank You Russia for taking the lead in world affairs instead of pushing it on the U.S. or U.N. Also thanks for stopping adoption from your country to the U.S. because there are plenty of U.S. children that need parents. The U.S. has to stop the adoption process a for profit company.
dave-2719156
Your kidding right?
Russia, too little too late....
I can't see the the opposition negotiating in anyway. They have the upper hand and Russia, after two years of arming Assad, knows it and is desperately trying to keep its Navy base. They are too late.....
As far as your comments on adoption, you obviously have never adapted a child in the US, so you no not what you say...
Rich, you are getting Russian Trolls. Note that little tag line about adopting Russian children.
This effort by Russia is more about keeping their hands on Syria than it is a sincere effort to stop the violence in Syria. Even if it was sincere the rebels will exact retribution against the citizens who have sided with a secularist government ruled by a dictator and butcher. Both sides in the end will butcher each other. Islam is not compatible with any form of governance. Even more sad when Islam does gain control of a country real peaceful existence is impossible. Islam must push to expand its borders and its religion by any means necessary.
I doubt that the opposition in Syria would even care about this, whether it is Russian brokered or not.
the u.s. administration is pushing the oppostition NOT TO TALK and just keep fighting .... saudi arabia and qatar are sending weapons in to help the rebels fight. If this is not wrong I don't know what is.
I for one hope that Asad holds on to power and defeats the western backed efforts to topple him. What disgusting behaviour by the u.s. but that's what you get when the entire administration is infiltrated by zionist crooks hell bent on destroying the Arab world for the sake of israel.
This WILL come back to haunt us but the government doesn't give a hoot about us anyway ...
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) said on c-span on Dec 23 that the US is helping to arm the rebels.