Syria peace ‘postponed to uncertain period of time’

MOSCOW

The prospect of a political process to establish peace in Syria has been postponed to an “uncertain period of time”, Russian defense minister said in Moscow Tuesday.

According to a statement posted on the Ministry of Defense’s official website, Sergei Shoigu said: “Prospects of the start of the political process and their return to peaceful life are postponed to uncertain period of time."

Shoigu made the remarks during his teleconference with the leadership of the Russian armed forces in Moscow.

He accused opposition forces of attacking civilians and blocking their way to reach humanitarian corridors. “Is this the opposition possible to negotiate with?”

Shoigu asked his western counterparts to decide who they wanted to fight against: terrorists or Russia.

“Perhaps they forgot who caused killing of innocent people by terrorist attacks in Belgium, France, Egypt, Iraq, and other countries,” he added.

He also referred to the hindrances created by some countries in the way for Russian warships headed towards Syria. “We were very surprised with the position taken by countries, which had refused to let our warships to enter their ports under the pressure of the U.S.A. and NATO,” Shoigu said.

Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when Bashar al-Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests -- which erupted as part of the Arab Spring uprisings -- with unexpected ferocity.

Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-torn country, according to UN figures.

MOSCOW

The prospect of a political process to establish peace in Syria has been postponed to an “uncertain period of time”, Russian defense minister said in Moscow Tuesday.

Shoigu made the remarks during his teleconference with the leadership of the Russian armed forces in Moscow.

He accused opposition forces of attacking civilians and blocking their way to reach humanitarian corridors. “Is this the opposition possible to negotiate with?”

Shoigu asked his western counterparts to decide who they wanted to fight against: terrorists or Russia.

“Perhaps they forgot who caused killing of innocent people by terrorist attacks in Belgium, France, Egypt, Iraq, and other countries,” he added.

Since then, more than a quarter of a million people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced across the war-torn country, according to UN figures.