Moscow: Positions of Russia and U.S. on Syria are getting closer

"Indeed, I think our positions with the United States are getting closer, first and foremost in regard to statements that there can be no alternative to a political solution in Syria," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference after the meeting with UAE Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow, on May 28, in the evening, the Russian Foreign Ministry press office told EADaily.

The Russian minister said Russia does not support Washington’s backing of Syria’s armed opposition groups. 

"We consider such an approach [US support of moderate opposition in Syria for continuation of armed struggle against the government] as short-sighted at least just because, taking into account experience of the recent years, majority of the so-called moderate opposition, who got financial and arms support, training by foreign instructors, finally get outbid [by terrorists] or join the side of terrorists for ideological reasons. I'm afraid the same will happen in this case [in Syria]," Lavrov said.

He said Russia will continue the dialogue with the United States, despite the discrepancies over the given issue. Lavrov called it important and even necessary that not only Russia and U.S., but also the countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and UAE join the efforts towards comprehensive national dialogue that involves all the Syrian parties.