Lavrov: Any international cooperation for solving crisis in Syria should be based on international law

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that any international cooperation for solving the crisis in Syria should be based on the international law and on respecting the independence of Syria and its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In statements to German DPA Agency published on Thursday, Lavrov said that Moscow is ready to discuss means of understanding and cooperation between the format of Astana and the so-called “mini-international” group on Syria.

Lavrov underlined the importance of the international cooperation for helping Syria in moving from the stage of eliminating terrorists’ hotbeds to the stage of the political solution which entails the reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure and restoring the economic activity, in addition to the return of the displaced to their homes.

He indicated that the unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Syria hinder the restoration of normal economic life in the country and the return of the displaced to their homeland.

He said that Russia works with the main partners in Astana format and the UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura on forming a committee to draft the Syrian constitution according to the resolution no. 2254 of the Security Council and the outcomes of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi.

He expressed regret that there has been no cooperation with Germany in this regard till now which is considered a member of the mini-international group on Syria.