Top Russian diplomat calls Syrian opposition's new terms for Geneva II conference provocative
MOSCOW. Nov 5 (Interfax) - The Syrian opposition should not put forward multiple preconditions for holding the Geneva II international conference on Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"The regime of [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad has repeatedly confirmed its readiness to attend the Geneva II conference. However, we have been hearing only an ever-growing number of new statements from the opposition outlining preliminary conditions. If all this is intended to force the regime to put forth additional conditions as well, it is an act of pure provocation," Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday, after being asked by Interfax to comment on a statement made by Ahmad al-Jarba, leader of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, who said earlier that Iran should not participate in the Geneva II conference.