Lavrov and Pederson: There is no alternative to a political solution in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the UN special envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen confirmed yesterday, Thursday, that there is no alternative to a political solution in Syria, during talks that took place between them in the Russian capital, Moscow.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that Lavrov and Pederson discussed in detail the full circle of issues related to the settlement in Syria, including the conditions on the ground, the tasks of providing humanitarian aid and dealing with socio-economic conditions.
The statement added that the two sides paid special attention to the work of the Constitutional Committee, whose fifth session was held at the end of January in Geneva. They also touched on “the results of the 15th international meeting on Syria within the framework of the Astana process, which took place on February 16 and 17 in Sochi.”

Lavrov and Pederson emphasized that “the common position is that there is no alternative to a political solution to the Syrian crisis within the framework of a process led and implemented by the Syrians themselves, as stipulated in Resolution 2254 of the United Nations Security Council.”

The Russian Foreign Minister and the UN envoy exchanged views on the humanitarian situation in Syria, focusing on the need to fully mobilize assistance for Syrians who are suffering with the need for it throughout the country without any discrimination, politicization and preconditions.