Russia stands for Iran's attendance of Geneva II - ministry
MOSCOW. Dec 9 (Interfax) - Moscow remains committed to the Iranian participation in the Geneva II international peace conference for Syria, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"In the context of the arrangements for the Geneva II international peace conference for Syria, Russia stands for inviting influential states of the region, among then Iran, [to the event]," says a commentary of the ministry's information and press department published on the occasion of the Iranian visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov due on December 11.
Russia is opposed to the use of force in the settlement of the Syrian crisis, the ministry said.
"We are confident that any external interference in the inter-Syrian conflict in the evasion of the UN Security Council can only escalate the already extremely complex situation in that country, augment the suffering of its population and reduce the chances for an agreement between the Syrian sides," the commentary said.
The ministry said also that Russia and Iran needed to exert maximum efforts for giving an additional impetus to the achievement of the task of the Caspian Sea states of guaranteeing the success of the fourth Caspian summit in Astrakhan in the autumn of 2014, where a number of important documents are scheduled to be signed.
"We welcome the intention of Tehran to maintain close regional contacts with regard to Afghanistan and the Iranian efforts to deter the drug trafficking coming from the Afghan territory, which presents a serious threat to world peace and stability," the ministry said.