Lavrov: US Military Presence in Syria Violates Int’l Law

Washington’s military presence in Syria violates the international law, but this possibility for fighting terrorism should be used, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after talks with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi.

“We cooperate in this format with Syrian armed forces exclusively for quashing terrorism and ending the civil war, start solving humanitarian problems and advance in political settlement,” Lavrov said, TASS reported.

However, “some unwelcome guests with arms in their hands are in Syria’s territory. As we saw a possibility to cooperate with them in the war on terror in the interests of all Syrian citizens, such contacts were established.”

“Since the very beginning, we have consistently taken a very clear stance. Everyone who is on the Syrian soil or in Syria’s airspace without the consent of the Syrian government violates international law,” Lavrov said.

“Russia, as well as the representatives of Iran, including the representatives of the Hezbollah movement, is working here upon a direct invitation of Syria’s legitimate authorities,” he said.

Russia’s top diplomat recalled that under Barack Obama’s presidency Russia and the US worked out a scheme of steps backed by the Syrian leadership, but it was not fulfilled. “They lacked courage, capability or an opportunity to separate those opposition members, with whom the US side is cooperating, from Jabhat al-Nusra,” Lavrov said.

Jabhat al-Nusra, known as the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham after July 2016, is a terrorist organization fighting against Syrian government forces.