MOSCOW
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that time restraint on the 2nd nternational Conference on Syria in Geneva due in June would harm the solution process as a counterproductive attitude.
Speaking to the Russian state-owned newspaper "Rossiyskaya Gazeta," Russian FM Lavrov noted that he disagreed with his American counterpart John Kerry's statement that "A couple of weeks are enough for Geneva II process."
"Time restriction on the Syrian issue will harm the solution process. Time restriction on the Geneva II talks on Syria is counterproductive," said Lavrov.
Reminding the Dayton Treaty taking years, signed to end the Bosnian War, Lavrov set the example of the Lebanese peace process saying "The peace conferences could take months and even years. I don't want the same for the Syrian issue. I consider a time restriction is definitely counterproductive."
Geneva I Conference on Syria, held in late June last year, recognized the need for a transition government with full executive authority by mutual consent. The meeting resulted in the agreement between Russia, Syria's important ally, and the Western countries, after months of disagreement, on forming a Syrian government including elements from the present government and the opposition and other groups and formed on the basis of mutual consent".
