Damascus not to use chemical weapons: Russian FM
Moscow, Dec. 24 (Xinhua-ANI)
The Syrian government has ensured Russia that it would not use chemical weapons under any circumstance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"Every time we hear rumors that the Syrians are doing something with the chemical weapons, we double-check, we triple-check, we go directly to the government and all the time we get very firm assurances that this is not going to be used under any circumstances," Lavrov said in an interview with Russia Today TV channel which was published on its website Monday.
According to the information collected by Moscow, the latest reports about "some movements" of the chemical weapons were actually for the better storage of them, as Damascus gathered the chemical stuff into two sites from various locations.
It would be a "political suicide" for the Syrian government if it uses chemical weapons, Lavrov added.
Meanwhile, Lavrov criticized the strange western logic that if the rebels take hold of the chemical weapons, it would still be the fault of the Syrian government.
"At the same time, those very people encourage rebels not to negotiate with the government but to continue fighting, and giving them arms, money, and moral and political support," Lavrov said.
The encouraged violent approach of rebels was very dangerous, he warned.
"If they believe that his (Assad) departure in whatever form is number one priority, then they must understand that for this geopolitical goal of theirs they would have to pay the price, but the price are lives of the Syrians, of the Syrian civilians," Lavrov said.