EU cancellation of Syria arms embargo will not benefit Geneva conference preparations - Kremlin official
MOSCOW. May 31 (Interfax) - The European Union's decision to lift its arms embargo for the Syrian opposition will not contribute to preparations for the next conference on Syria in Geneva, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.
"Such decisions, to be more precise political signals, will not contribute to constructive preparations for this important international event," Ushakov said at a press briefing on Friday.
Vigorous steps are now being taken to lay the groundwork for the international conference on Syria in Geneva, he said.
"We hope that it will take place. But I do not know the timeframe," he said.
It is encouraging that clear signals are currently arriving from the Syrian authorities that confirm their "readiness to send their team vested with appropriate powers to this conference," Ushakov said.
"The opposition used to have an amorphous picture, but many sides are currently tackling this issue," he said.
However, there is still uncertainty over a number of aspects, including which countries of the region will attend this event, Ushakov said.