FROM EIR DAILY ALERT
Lavrov: Before Striking Syria Militarily, Remember Russia Has Obligations to Syria
April 9, 2018 (EIRNS)—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated in a press briefing today what Russian military officials have warned previously, that Russia may not sit by if there is a military strike on Syria. Lavrov framed his statement specifically as a response to “warnings from the U.S. President’s officials”—Trump’s Homeland Security Advisor Thomas Bossert, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (later President Trump himself)—that Washington does not exclude a military strike on Syria. He was quoted by Sputnik, restating Russian policy:
“You know, our military has already reacted to this. We have our obligations to Syria. Obligations based on our agreement concluded with the legitimate, legal government of the Syrian Arab Republic at the request of this government, which is, incidentally, a UN member-state.”
The Foreign Minister reminded reporters that Russia had made many warnings, from on the ground in Syria, that a provocation was planned in order to blame Damascus for chemical weapons use. “We already had a chance to comment on the current situation before this current situation became reality,” he stressed.
“Our servicemen staying in the Syrian Arab Republic, on soil, repeatedly warned ... that a serious provocation is being prepared, aimed at blaming Damascus for the use of a chemical poisoning agent against civilians.”
Russia is
“in total support of a fair and immediate investigation, when they ask for it. However, when the investigation is intended to come at a predetermined point—that is, it was done by Assad with Putin’s support—there are no grounds for a serious discussion,”
Lavrov said, according to TASS.
Lavrov repeated that neither Russian military nor the Red Crescent has found evidence of an attack, referencing the history of untrustworthy pictures from previous alleged attacks being released by NGOs such as the White Helmets.
“But, as you see, this all became the reason for the unfolding of the colossal anti-Syrian campaign, which is now being deployed against us under the pretext that Russia covers for the criminal regime, as they say,”
Lavrov told the journalists.
