Russia warns on ‘Libya-style adventure’ in Syria
MOSCOW. - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday he hoped that there would be no repeat of the experience of Libya and Iraq in the Syria conflict.
“God forbid anything adventurous will be done in Syria following the Libyan and Iraqi experience,” Lavrov told a news conference yesterday.
He said that even the smallest miscalculation in Syria could lead to new waves of migrants and that ultimatums and threats do not help the dialogue.
“Even non-significant incidents would lead to new waves of migrants to Europe and to other consequences, which neither we nor our European neighbours need,” Lavrov said.
The United States is discussing with allies a military response to an alleged gas attack by Syrian government forces on the town of Douma that killed dozens of people, which could lead to confrontation with Russia.
Russia and the United States are using their channels of communications on Syria, according to Lavrov.
“As for the channels - and they are periodical conversations between presidents and quite regular channels between the military - they are being used,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry has presented what it says is proof that the reported chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged. It also accused the British government of pressuring the perpetrators to speed up the “provocation”.
During a briefing yesterday, the ministry showed interviews with two people, who, it said, are medical professionals working in the only hospital operating in Douma, a town near the Syrian capital, Damascus.
In the interviews released to the media, the two men reported how footage was shot of people dousing each other with water and treating children, which was claimed to show the aftermath of the April 7 chemical weapons attack.
The patients shown in the video suffered from smoke poisoning and the water was poured on them by their relatives after a false claim that chemical weapons were used, the ministry said.
“Please, notice. These people do not hide their names. These are not some faceless claims on the social media by anonymous activists. They took part in taking that footage,” said ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov. - Reuters/RT.