West`s Syria gas claims absolutely don`t convince Russia - Lavrov

Evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria should not be kept secret – Lavrov

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (RIA Novosti / Eduard Pesov)

News Source: Russia Today

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that a 'regime of secrecy' by the West is unacceptable with regard to Syria and evidence of the use of chemical weapons there. Information sharing is a must.

The Foreign Minister spoke during an address to the students of the Moscow State University of International Relations.

"If there truly is top secret information available, the veil should be lifted. This is a question of war and peace. To continue this game of secrecy is simply inappropriate."

Samples collected by first responders after the August 21 chemical attack in a Damascus suburb have tested positive for the sarin nerve agent, US Secretary of State John Kerry told US media as he sought build support for a military strike. No knowledge of who was behind it has yet come to light.

In a later appearance on CNN, Kerry said that the evidence, which was gathered independently of the UN, strengthened Obama's call for military action against the regime of President Bashar Assad, which the US accuses of being responsible for the chemical weapons attack.

"Each day that goes by, this case is even stronger," Kerry said, calling the case 'overwhelming.'

Minister Lavrov has called the information provided to Russia by the US 'inconclusive'.

"We were shown some sketches, but there was nothing concrete, no geographical coordinates or details... and no proof the test was done by professionals... there were no comments anywhere regarding the experts' doubt about the footage circulating all over the internet," Lavrov said.

He added that "what our American, British and French partners have shown us before - as well as now - does not convince us at all. There are no supporting facts, there is only repetitive talk in the vein of 'we know for sure.' And when we ask for further clarification, we receive the following response: 'You are aware that this is classified information, therefore we cannot show it to you.' So there are still no facts."

Shortly before Minister Lavrov's Q&A session took place, the United States ordered its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, along with four destroyers and a cruiser, to move west in the Arabian Sea toward the Red Sea, in preparation for a possible strike, according to a US official's words to Reuters.

Later on Monday at another press conference with his South-African counterpart, the minister continued the line of reasoning that the upcoming peace talks are under a grave threat of being derailed completely if the American strike takes place. Already, Lavrov said, we can hear those that side with the strike pushing "not for a surgical tactic, but a wider and deeper strike on the country."

The Minister explained that every effort was made to bring the Syrian rebels to the negotiating table and that the Geneva framework was in place. However, it appeared that Russia's partners in the matter - especially those who back the rebels - were less interested in the conference than in creating "controlled chaos", as Lavrov put it.

Finally, he warned that a strike on Syria would lead to a huge increase in extremism and have the opposite effect to what the backers desire.

No weapons on Syrian plane grounded by Turkey – Lavrov

Source: Russia Today

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that no weapons were carried by the Syrian passenger plane Turkey diverted on Wednesday over suspicions it was transporting non-civilian cargo.

Lavrov claimed the Airbus A-320 was carrying radar components, and that transporting such items by civil aircraft does not violate international law.

"We have no secrets," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters. "There were, of course, no weapons on the plane and could not have been any. There was a cargo on the plane that a legal Russian supplier was sending in a legal way to a legal customer."

The announcement came in response to a Thursday statement made by Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan alleging that the Syrian Air jet was transporting Russian-made munitions for the Syrian Defense Ministry.

“It is absolutely clear who sent the cargo and who was going to receive it. This was munitions from the Russian equivalent of our Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation being sent to the Syrian Defense Ministry," Ergodan said.

Turkey diverted the passenger plane en route from Moscow to Damascus on Wednesday as it entered Turkish airspace, and forced it to land in Ankara and open its cargo to inspection. After around nine hours, some items from the cargo were seized and the plane was allowed to depart.

Syria labeled the incident "air piracy," and insisted there was nothing illegal on board the plane.
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Intercepted: First video aboard Syria-bound plane diverted by Turkey

Source: Russia Today

On board the civilian aircraft and the first moments of forced landing in Turkey! Note the masked men with guns in Turkey.

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Russia waiting for Turkey's explanation over grounded plane: FM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (file photo)

Source: Press TV

Moscow says it is waiting for an official explanation from Ankara about its refusal to let Russian diplomats in Turkey meet the Russian passengers aboard a plane intercepted and forced to land in the Turkish capital.

“We are awaiting an official reply why our diplomats were not allowed to meet the Russian passengers on board,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

On October 10, Turkish F-16 fighter jets intercepted a Syrian Airbus A320 flying over Turkish airspace and escorted it to Ankara’s Esenboga Airport.

Having taken off from Moscow, the plane was reportedly carrying 35 passengers on board, including 17 Russian nationals.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the decision was made based on information that the aircraft might be carrying “certain equipment in breach of civil aviation rules.”

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan later said the grounded plane contained “equipment and munitions sent for the Syrian Defense Ministry from a Russian institution.”

Syrian foreign ministry dismissed Turkish premier’s claims, saying that Erdogan “continues to lie in order to justify his government's hostile attitude towards Syria.”

The Turkish authorities allowed the plane and its passengers to leave Ankara nine hours after landing, but they seized parts of the cargo.

Meanwhile, Moscow censured Ankara for endangering the lives of the flight’s passengers by dispatching fighter jets to force the plane to land.

Also on Friday, Lavrov highlighted that “There were, of course, no weapons on the plane and could not have been any. There was a cargo on the plane that a legal Russian supplier was sending in a legal way to a legal customer.”


The foreign minister added the Russian company that sent the legitimate “electric equipment for radars” cargo to Syria will demand that Turkey return it.

West looking to ‘reanimate’ Russia's adversary image - Lavrov

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. (AFP Photo / Aamir Qureshi)

By: Robert Bridge

Source: Russia Today

http://rt.com/politics/west-russia-lavrov-nato-image-087/

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blames the “bloc thinking” of Western countries for failing to adjust to the present realities.

"Unfortunately, the Euro-Atlantic military-political processes are lagging behind the rapidly changing realities,” Lavrov said at the Federation Council on Wednesday. “The political elites of a number of Western countries are still obviously backsliding into bloc thinking."

"Certain politicians wish to reanimate the image of a geopolitical adversary in the person of our country,” the minister said, adding that such scare tactics helps to preserve “a strong military-political bond between the United States and European NATO members."

Although Lavrov did not mention Republican challenger for the White House, Mitt Romney, by name, the comments seem too well-timed to be a mere coincidence.

In March, Romney demonstrated the chasm that separates Democrat and Republican thinking on foreign policy when he called Russia the “number one geopolitical foe” of the United States. The comment recalled antiquated Cold War rhetoric and showed that the so-called Russia-US reset is just one presidential campaign away from irrelevancy.

"Cold War black-and-white thinking looks increasingly absurd against the backdrop of profound and, I would even say, tectonic shifts we are witnessing," Lavrov said.

The Russian minister suggested that the increase in rhetoric being directed at Russia may have a lot to do with the “process of division of power and influence…taking place on the global landscape,” which sees the role of the Asia Pacific region increasing as it becomes a “major driving force of economic development.”

Unfortunately, instead of western leaders looking to the booming eastern economies as a means for escaping from the clutches of a deepening economic recession, they are ratcheting up the rhetoric and spreading fear.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that given the frostiness in relations, the West is unwilling to sign a European security treaty together with Russia.

"Alas, our Western partners are not prepared as yet to accept the logic of implementing an indivisible security principle put forth in fundamental documents from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Russia-NATO Council," he noted.

Lavrov revealed that despite opposition on the part of some foreign leaders, the Russian initiative “has triggered rather energetic discussions on the possibilities and ways to upgrade the Euro-Atlantic security model.”

The idea of bringing all European territory under one security umbrella was first mentioned in 2008 by former Russia President Dmitry Medvedev.

"I'm convinced that Europe's problems won't be solved until its unity is established, an organic wholeness of all its integral parts, including Russia," Medvedev said.

Indeed, it seems that until Europe frees itself from the scourge of Cold War thinking, an atmosphere of mistrust will dominate the region, with the United States able to manipulate the situation for strategic gain.

The most blatant example of Washington stepping into the void left by the Cold War is witnessed by efforts to build a US missile defense system in Eastern Europe, which threatens to destabilize the balance of forces between the two former Cold War foes. Moscow has even warned that the system threatens to spark another arms race.

Denied participation in the project, Russia insists on receiving guarantees from NATO that the system will not be targeted against its nuclear forces.

"Reliable guarantees based on clear and impartial military-technical and geographic criteria that this system will not be targeted against Russian nuclear deterrent forces are fundamentally important for us," Lavrov stressed.

The minister said it was essential that Moscow is assured that the purpose of the system is to defend against “missile threats emanating from outside of the Euro-Atlantic region, that is, not from Russia."

Lavrov acknowledged that thus far the parties failed to find a solution to this problem, but Russia is willing to continue dialogue.

The minister also mentioned Russia’s concern over NATO’s increased military activity near Russia’s borders.

It is natural that we have questions concerning “increased military activity near Russian borders, the modernization and approaching of NATO's defence infrastructure and more frequent military exercises," Lavrov said.

The purpose of these exercises is unclear, he added.

Finally, on the question of resolving global hotspots, specifically in Syria and Iran, Russia will uphold the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, Lavrov mentioned in his report.

"We will continue to resolutely insist on the supremacy of law in international affairs," Lavrov pledged. "This is how we will move forward in our efforts to address the situation in Syria, the Iranian nuclear program and other crisis situations.”

Calls for Assad capitulation, not dialogue, encourages Syria terror - Lavrov

Source: Russia Today

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blamed the ongoing violence in Syria on “some states,” which encourage Syrian rebel terrorism and their refusal to negotiate. Lavrov made his remarks during a UN Security Council session.

­In a high-level meeting of the Security Council on Middle East security, two world powers – Russia and the United States – clashed over interpretations of the ongoing violence in Syria, and how to end the bloodshed.

"The states that encourage the opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to give up on the ceasefire and dialogue and to demand that the regime capitulate, bear responsibility for the continuing bloodshed," Lavrov said. "Such an approach is unrealistic and encourages terrorism, which is used by the opposition."

Lavrov reiterated Russia’s longstanding position that “stable settlement of the crisis can only be achieved through negotiation and compromise, taking into account the interests of all the faiths and ethnic groups of Syrian society." The Russian FM argued that the groundwork for a peaceful resolution should follow the Kofi Annan peace plan and the Geneva communique, and related Security Council resolutions.

"We see that the initiative put forth by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has potential,” he said. In August, during a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca, Morsi called for the creation of "a quartet" to resolve the Syrian crisis. The group would include Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter two being understood to have strong influence in the region.

Washington accused the UN's decision-making body of paralysis, and the Syrian leader of “murdering of his own people.”

“The atrocities mount while the Security Council remains paralyzed, and I would urge that we try once again to find a path forward,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the Council, referring to Russia and China’s previous vetoes of Western-backed resolutions. Clinton was not present for Lavrov's remarks to the Security Council, citing a previous engagement.

As permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China blocked three resolutions that would have imposed further sanctions on the Syrian government. Both countries argued that the only way to solve the crisis is through negotiations.

Other states of the 15-member council also called for action. “As the international community, we must be united to stop the violence and help initiate a process of political transition. We must find a common response. We owe it to the people,” German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said.

UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon said that “there is no military solution to this crisis” in Syria, and urged a political solution.

Punishing blasphemy

Another topic that dominated the Security Council's discussion was the Islamophobic, US-made amateurm film that sparked massive protests across the Muslim world.

Arab League representative Nabil Elaraby demanded that the Security Council criminalize acts that insult or cause offense to religions, arguing that unless blasphemy laws are enacted and enforced, similar violence could once again erupt.

"If the international community has criminalized bodily harm, it must just as well criminalize psychological and spiritual harm," Elaraby said.

The League of Arab States "calls for the development of an international legal framework which is binding … in order to confront insulting religions and ensure that religious faith and its symbols are respected."