Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Yemen and Venezuela
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Continued progress is being made in combating terrorism in Syria, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) explained.
Russia is spearheading the delivery of humanitarian aid to liberated parts of the country – despite no cooperation from Washington, other Western nations, and anti-Assad regional ones.
“Refugees and displaced persons have received hope of coming home,” said MZ. Syrians may convene a national congress to help implement SC Resolution 2254, calling for diplomatic conflict resolution, among other provisions.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, ISIS militants control less than five percent of Syrian territory. They’re “still committing daring attacks against the Government Army and Syrian civilians, trying to ramp up violence,” MZ explained.
Russian airpower helped Syrian and allied forces expand control in Deir Ezzor on both banks of the Euphrates river. The ISIS stronghold in al-Mayadeen was captured, an important strategic victory.
US-led terror-bombing “razed (Raqqa) to the ground,” the city in ruins, turned into a wasteland, many thousands of civilians indiscriminately massacred.
In many parts of Syria, humanitarian conditions are dire, Russia alone among major power providing aid – nothing from the West or regional countries, the UN supplying it only to opposition-held areas, showing its role in the conflict is highly political, violating its own Charter.
Conflict in Yemen continues, said MZ, fighting heaviest in the northeast and some southern regions. The devastating civilian toll is increasing.
Dire humanitarian conditions, the region’s worst, are deepening. All essentials to life are in short supply or unavailable because of Saudi and US blockade.
Rampant cholera and other diseases are “part of everyday life for ordinary Yemenis,” said MZ.
Hard as it’s trying, Moscow hasn’t been able to halt fighting. It continues raging, appalling atrocities committed by the Saudis, supported and encouraged by Washington.
Venezuelan gubernatorial elections were open, free and fair. There’s “no reason to doubt the (legitimacy) of the vote…no ground(s) for talking seriously (accusations of) ballot rigging,” said MZ.
Venezuela’s political approach rejecting foreign interference “received broad international support. This is also our consistent and principled position that we have repeatedly made known,” MZ stressed.
Only one of five elected opposition governors failed to abide by the legitimacy of the National Constituent Assembly, charged with revising or rewriting Venezuela’s constitution.
“We believe that the threats of external pressure on Caracas with the use of unilateral sanctions-related mechanisms, isolationist measures and forceful, ultimatum-like methods are categorically unacceptable. Democracy is not an end in itself but a method of solving a country’s problems,” said MZ.
Russia maintains cooperative relations with President Maduro’s government. Washington wants it toppled, replaced by illegitimate fascist rule.
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