Lavrov to visit Iran to discuss nuclear problem, Syria - ministry
MOSCOW. June 11 (Interfax) - The situation in Syria and preparations for six-party talks with Tehran on Iran's nuclear problem will be discussed during Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Iran on June 13, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"On June 13 the Russian foreign minister will pay a visit to Iran. The discussions with this country's senior officials will center on the general situation in the Middle and Near East and North Africa, with an emphasis on the current transformation processes in the Arab world and the situation in Syria," the ministry told reporters.
"During the upcoming visit on June 13 of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to Iran much attention will be paid to the discussion of the preparations for the next meeting between EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili, with participation of the political directors from the six international mediators on the Iranian nuclear program (the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, the United States, France) in Moscow on June 18-19," the ministry said.
"(Russia) is not playing the role of advocate for certain Middle Eastern regimes. Russia is calling for strict compliance with the norms and principles of international law for the sake of maintaining regional stability and security across the Middle East and North Africa," the Foreign Ministry said.
"The Syrian issue will be discussed in Tehran based on these fundamental guidelines," the ministry said.
"Assistance in the implementation of the plan of United Nations-Arab League Special Envoy Kofi Annan, approved by the UN Security Council, and elimination of the problems inhibiting it, remains today's biggest challenge," the statement said.
Also, during his visit Lavrov is planning to discuss the Russian proposal to hold an international conference on Syria, to which Iran has also been invited.
"Without Iran, the potential of a constructive international influence on Syria will not be used to the full," the ministry said.
"The reaction by the global community to the internal processes in certain Middle Eastern states must be extremely responsible and verified. It is unacceptable to extend the Libyan model to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa engulfed by revolutions," the ministry said.
As regards the Iranian nuclear program, Russia has invariably called for the related issues to be solved solely with political diplomatic methods, on the basis of mutual respect and principles of a gradual and reciprocal approach, the Foreign Ministry said.
"Currently on the negotiating table are the concrete proposals handed over to Iran by the six negotiators at the previous round of talks in Baghdad n May 23-24. They are based precisely on these principles and include both requirements for Tehran and likely retaliatory steps on the part of the six mediators. We expect they will start being discussed in substance at the Moscow round," the Foreign Ministry said.
"We are hoping that all delegations, including Iran, will come to Moscow with a willingness to hold a constructive dialogue that will allow to ensure positive results and further progress in tackling the existing differences and gradual narrowing of the gap," the ministry said.
"Certainly, we understand that Moscow talks will not lead to agreement on all the issues of interest to the parties. However, we believe that the negotiating process must continue after the Moscow round," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
While in Iran, the Russian foreign minister is also planning to discuss the Middle East peace process.
