Russia is coming to realize U.S. initial goal was to protect al-Nusra and keep it for Plan B - Lavrov
MOSCOW. Sept 30 (Interfax) - Russia is becoming increasingly convinced that the goal of the U.S. in Syria was to save Jabhat al-Nusra, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Russia is increasingly coming to realize that the goal of the U.S. was to save Jabhat al-Nusra (banned in Russia), possibly for some sort of 'Plan B', he said on a program on BBC World News.
The minister said that Russia is seeing new groups join Jabhat al-Nusra instead of disassociation of the opposition and terrorists.
The whole problem in the situation with Aleppo is that the U.S. and the coalition cannot and are, in actual fact, refusing to separate the opposition from Jabhat al-Nusra and the terrorists that have joined it, he said. Instead of that, more and more groups are uniting with Jabhat al-Nusra, Lavrov said.
Every time Russia bombs Jabhat al-Nusra it is told that it should not be done because there are good people near them or among them, the minister said.
Responding to the accusations made against the Russian Aerospace Forces, Lavrov demanded evidence that the Russian Aerospace Forces have bombed the humanitarian convoy in Syria and are bombing the country's civilian population.
Russia is taking all necessary preventive measures to prevent strikes on the civilian population, he said.
Commenting on the information on the use in Syria of phosphorus shells and cluster bombs, Lavrov said the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria do not use prohibited munitions.
Lavrov also said he will have a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday.
