FM condemns end of EU arms embargo, UN draft resolution скачать в хорошем качестве

FM condemns end of EU arms embargo, UN draft resolution

(29 May 2013) AP TELEVISION 1. Wide of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and others entering news conference 2. Mid of audience 3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "To announce an embargo (on sending arms to Syrian opposition groups) on something that was already forbidden according to international rights, including the rights of the European Union, was contradictory from the start. And now the lifting of that embargo makes the situation even more complicated, at the very least creating a serious obstacle along the path towards the international conference on Syria." 4. Mid of member of the audience 5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "The acceptance (of the draft resolution on Syria in the UN) and the insistence on moving it forward that we witnessed on the part of certain countries in the Persian Gulf for us signifies an attempt to create difficulties on the road to realising the Russian-American initiative, because this resolution by the (UN) General Assembly was activated immediately after the announcement of our initiative during John Kerry's visit to Moscow. Now they are trying to do the same thing in the (UN) Human Rights Council. To my enormous surprise one supporter of this resolution other than Qatar and Turkey is the United States. The delegation of the United States is actively pushing for this unhelpful scheme." 6. Wide of participants leaving news conference STORYLINE: Russia's foreign minister sharply criticised a draft resolution on Syria to be considered by the United Nations' top human rights body on Wednesday, saying the move would hamper peace efforts. Sergey Lavrov said that the document would complicate the search for a political settlement in Syria. The draft, submitted by Qatar, Turkey and the United States, condemns the use of heavy weapons against civilians and other rights abuses by the Syrian regime. Lavrov told a briefing that the motion would hamper efforts to organise a peace conference on Syria. He said he was surprised to see the US among the authors of the resolution, saying it runs contrary to the US pledge to help organise the peace conference. "The acceptance (of the draft resolution on Syria in the UN) and the insistence on moving it forward that we witnessed on the part of certain countries in the Persian Gulf for us signifies an attempt to create difficulties on the road to realising the Russian-American initiative," Lavrov said. "To my enormous surprise one supporter of this resolution other than Qatar and Turkey is the United States. The delegation of the United States is actively pushing for this unhelpful scheme," he said. Lavrov also criticised the recent lifting of an EU embargo for non-government forces within Syria. "To announce an embargo (on sending arms to Syrian opposition groups) on something that was already forbidden according to international rights, including the rights of the European Union, was contradictory from the start," Lavrov said. "And now the lifting of that embargo makes the situation even more complicated, at the very least creating a serious obstacle along the path towards the international conference on Syria," he said. Russia has been the key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, protecting his regime from U.N. sanctions and continuing to provide him with weapons. Lavrov's deputy, Sergei Ryabkov, said on Tuesday that Russia has a contract to provide Syria with long-range S-300 air defence missile systems and won't abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...