Russia warns UK against sending weapons to militants in Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (L) and his British counterpart during a press conference in London on March 13, 2013
“Arming the opposition is in breach of international law,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his British counterpart William Hague in London on Wednesday.
The conference was also attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his British counterpart Philip Hammond.
“International law does not allow, does not permit supplies of arms to non-governmental actors and in our point of view it is a violation of international law,” Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister reiterated that it is only up to Syrians to decide the future of their nation.
He also rejected any chance of Moscow pressuring Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into stepping down.
Lavrov made the remarks one day after British Prime Minister David Cameron said London would mull ignoring a European Union arms embargo on Syria in order to pave the way for sending weapons to the militants fighting against the government.
On March 8, the Russian diplomat said Moscow is opposed to any preconditions to halt the ongoing turmoil in Syria since his country’s top priority is to save lives.
Lavrov said those who say Assad must disappear before the start of any talks have a different priority than the lives of the Syrian people.
On March 11, a member of Syria’s opposition bloc, known as the National Coalition, held talks with Lavrov in Moscow in an effort to persuade Russia to back calls for Assad’s resignation.
Many people, including large numbers of security personnel, have lost their lives in the foreign-backed unrest that erupted in Syria in March 2011.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2...nts-breaks-intl-law/
