Don’t Play With Fire’: Lavrov Slams US Attempts to Break Up Syria

Lavrov called on the US not to “play with fire” in Syria and emphasized that the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be preserved.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has voiced concern that US actions in Syria are aimed at partitioning Syria and accused Washington of using the Kurds to undermine the Arab Republic’s territorial integrity.

“Such fears arise when we get acquainted with the plans that the US is beginning to implement on the ground, primarily to the east of the Euphrates, on vast territories between this river and the border with Syria with Iraq and Turkey.”

The Russian top diplomat urged Washington not to “play with fire” in Syria and carefully consider its steps based “not on immediate needs of today’s political situation, but rather from the long-term interests of the Syrian people and all the peoples of this region, including the Kurds,” adding, “It seems to me that the statements of our American colleagues that the only purpose is to fight ISIL [Daesh] and preserve territorial integrity need to be confirmed by actions

The Russian top diplomat urged Washington not to “play with fire” in Syria and carefully consider its steps based “not on immediate needs of today’s political situation, but rather from the long-term interests of the Syrian people and all the peoples of this region, including the Kurds,” adding, “It seems to me that the statements of our American colleagues that the only purpose is to fight ISIL [Daesh] and preserve territorial integrity need to be confirmed by actions

“Unfortunately, with all the statements about the need to unite efforts in the fight against this common evil [terrorism], there is still a desire to use this situation for geopolitical narrow-minded purposes and attempts continue to move away from truly collective work,” Lavrov said, when speaking on session of the International Discussion Club “Valdai”.

He has emphasized that the Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity must be preserved, in accordance with international law and UN resolutions.

The Kurds are being used in a game, which has no relation to their own interests, the foreign policy chief said, urging to refrain from exploiting the so-called “Kurdish factor

According to Lavrov, the United States is creating governing bodies that are “deliberately” formed in such a way as to “have no connection with Damascus” in the territories located to the east of the Euphrates and up to Syria’s border.
“This can be a very serious problem in terms of meeting the requirements of the UN Security Council to ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria… I think that the success of the Syrian settlement depends not on what else Russia can do, but on what the United States will not do, it would be better if they stopped playing very dangerous games that lead to the division of the Syrian state,” the minister stressed.

According to Lavrov, Russia has doubts that the US-led coalition truly aims to fight al-Nusra Front terrorists in Syria

Calls to stop the Syrian army’s operation in Idlib are aimed at shielding the al-Nusra Front terrorist group, Lavrov said.

“In line with all the existing accords, the anti-terror struggle could not be limited by anything and we are very concerned that only the Syrian army and Russia’s Aerospace Force backing the army are trying to crush this affiliate of al-Qaeda [terrorist group outlawed in Russia],” the minister added.

The minister added that the Western states that can exert influence on the Nusra Front should take steps to “discipline” this group.

Previously, the Russian foreign minister blamed the US for aiming to separate part of Syria to create a Kurdish-dominated autonomy.

The Kurds took advantage of the fighting in Syria and in 2011 and proclaimed a semi-autonomous state along the norther border of the country. In addition to this, in January, US Col. Thomas Veale announced that the US-led coalition had been training the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that comprises the YPG to create a 30,000-strong force to maintain security along Syria’s borders, which had been slammed as a “terrorist army” by Ankara. Following the controversial announcement, the Turkish army launched operation dubbed the “Olive Branch” in Syria’s Kurds-dominated Afrin against Kurdish YPG forces, which Ankara believes have links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization in Turkey.