Russia says suggestions that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should resign as a precondition for holding a new round of peace talks are “inadmissible”.
"Any talk of Assad's resignation being a precondition for the Geneva conference is inadmissible," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday, adding that fighting against terrorism was a priority for those who wanted to settle the crisis in Syria.
"All UN Security Council resolutions consider terrorism in all its forms unacceptable. It cannot be justified on any grounds," Lavrov stated.
The Russian foreign minister also said that the West could no longer stick to the excuse that the Syrian government benefits from terrorism in the country. He also denounced the West’s failure to condemn atrocities committed by foreign-backed militants in Syria.
Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011. Over 150,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by Western-backed militants.
According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
