Syria foreign minister to visit Moscow
2013-02-19 21:51
Moscow - Russia on Tuesday announced that Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Muallem would visit Moscow next week for talks aimed at finding
a way out of the two-year Syria conflict.
Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Muallem
would be in Moscow on 25 February "to discuss the Syria crisis and
measures aimed at beginning dialogue" with the opposition.
But Gatilov - Russia's pointman on the conflict - added
that Syria's National Coalition opposition leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib had
still not accepted an invitation to visit Russia later this month.
Moscow appeared to have hoped to have the two visits
coincide so they could present an opportunity for the Syrian government and the
opposition to hold their first direct negotiations.
"There has been no specific decision on this
account," Gatilov said of Khatib's visit. "There are no concrete
dates for his visit to Moscow."
Khatib had said earlier he would only be willing to meet
Russian officials at a neutral venue due to Moscow's support for President
Bashar Assad.
Russia has vetoed three UN Security Council resolution
censuring Assad for the violence and continues supplying the Syrian government
with military hardware that Western and Arab nations believe are helping
Damascus press on with its military campaign.
Gatilov confirmed that Russia continues to supply arms to
Assad but argued that the shipments were legal because they were made under
contracts signed before the violence broke out in March 2011.
"Yes, we have made deliveries within frameworks of
previously agreed contracts. We made no secret about that," said Gatilov.
"All of this activity is being conducted within
legitimate frameworks. What was agreed in the past in terms of special
equipment and special technology is being realised."
