Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Venezuela and UK
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below) expressed optimism on Syria – despite conflict showing no signs of ending.
“A shift to peace is particularly evident in Damascus and in other cities where the government has been firmly controlling the situation for a long time, including in Aleppo and Homs. Life is gradually getting back to normal,” she said.”
Yet US-supported terrorists reportedly downed a Russian Su-25 warplane in the Idlib countryside, displaying a body claimed to be its pilot.
He ejected after his aircraft was hit, captured and killed by gunfire during his descent. Russia’s Defense Ministry hasn’t confirmed the incident so far.
MZ’s press briefing took place before it occurred. She reported no ceasefire violations except where “terrorists continue their armed incursions.”
Conflict continues raging in and around Afrin in northern Syria where Turkish forces are attacking Kurdish YPG fighters.
Syrian forces together with Russian airpower routed terrorists from the Abu Duhur airbase, seized in 2015. “(G)overnment forces have reestablished control over this air base and the Abu Duhur community,” MZ explained.
She called the January 29 and 30 Sochi peace conference an “important event (that) will certainly influence the developments in Syria.”
Since summer 2012, multiple rounds of Geneva and Astana talks failed to resolve the conflict because Washington and its rogue allies want war, not peace.
Key opposition groups refused to participate in Sochi. After seven years of war, conflict resolution remains unattainable.
Nothing in Sochi changed things. Whether principles agree on advances things for eventual resolution remains to be seen.
Turkish aggression in northern Syria is “a matter of grave concern,” MZ explained. It has nothing to do with defending Turkey’s border as claimed, everything to do with its longstanding war on Kurds and Erdogan’s territorial ambitions, wanting parts of northern Syria annexed.
Washington and Moscow initially green-lighted its operation. Damascus condemned it as naked aggression on its territory. Because of ongoing fighting, Syrian Kurds declined to participate in Sochi talks, their absence sorely missed.
MZ commented on preparations for Venezuela’s April presidential election, saying “it is an incontrovertible rule for all political forces in the country to observe the Constitution and the applicable laws,” adding:
“We think it premature to provide any assessments with regard to the upcoming ballot.”
“(R)elevant statements by certain opposition leaders evince a clear desire to introduce an element of strife as well as chaos in the domestic stand-off and prevent the campaign from being promoted by the generally accepted political methods.”
Moscow rejects any foreign attempts to interfere in the election and other Venezuelan internal affairs – a clear reference to Washington.
MZ commented on Britain’s Defense Secretary’s hostile comments about Russia, saying the country “could cause ‘thousands and thousands and thousands’ of deaths in Britain with an attack that would cripple (its) infrastructure and energy supply,” adding:
“Moscow has been researching Britain’s infrastructure, including its continental power supply connection, aiming to create “panic (and) chaos.”
MZ accused Williamson of “imagin(ing) himself taking part in a new James Bond film.” Given its internal problems, “an external enemy is needed to distract public attention.”
“They earlier tried to connect the British people’s decision to leave the European Union with the Kremlin but that did not really work out. So now, they decided to approach the matter from another angle.”
Williamson resembles Nikki Haley with a British accent. His unacceptable accusations aren’t amusing.
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