Russia-West dispute over Syria hits new crisis point

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lavrov angry at westRussia’s two-and-a-half year dispute with the West over the conflict in Syria intensified to a new level Monday as Moscow warned Washington of the “extremely dangerous consequences” of military action against the Damascus regime.

The alleged use of chemical weapons in an attack outside Damascus has driven a new wedge between Russia and the West over Syria, with Moscow and Western capitals offering vastly different interpretations of the incident.

Whereas nations like Britain and France have said the attack was perpetrated by the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Russia has made clear Moscow believes that it was a ploy carried out by rebels with the aim of discrediting the Kremlin’s traditional ally.

Western states are now clamoring for military action against Assad over the attack but Russia is warning such intervention will destabilize the entire Middle East and would be based on false reasoning.

Any such action, like air strikes, would likely have to go ahead without a mandate from the UN Security Council where Russia and its ally China would be almost certain to block resolutions approving force.

“If force is used without a UN resolution it will lead to very serious consequences in relations between Russia and the United States and its NATO partners,” said Alexander Filonik, a Middle East expert at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned US Secretary of State John Kerry over the “extremely dangerous consequences” of launching military action against the Syrian regime, the foreign ministry said Monday.

In a telephone call late Sunday, the Russian minister urged his US counterpart “to refrain from using military pressure against Damascus and not to give in to provocations”.

Lavrov told Kerry of “mounting evidence” that the alleged chemical attack was a “pretense” set up by the rebel opposition with the aim of accusing the Damascus government.

The surge in tensions coincided with the appearance Monday in the Izvestia newspaper — one of the most slavishly pro-Kremlin media outlets in Russia — of a huge interview with Assad.

Assad used the interview to thank Russia for its support, ridicule as “nonsense” the idea his regime used chemical weapons and warn the United States of failure if it attacked Syria.

“London and Washington… just need a guilty verdict (on Assad). Any other verdict will be rejected,” the head of the lower house of Russian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, Alexei Pushkov, wrote on Twitter.

Foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich at the weekend compared the possible use of force against Syria to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 which was vehemently opposed by President Vladimir Putin as based on flawed intelligence that Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed weapons of mass destruction.

The US administration’s claims of weapons justifying the invasion at the time later proved false.

“There are many similarities in the tactics of the Western states in Iraq,” said Filonik. “History is repeating itself.”

Russia has been chastened by its experience in the 2011 air campaign that ousted Libyan leader and longstanding Moscow ally Moamer Kadhafi which Moscow allowed to go ahead by abstaining at the Security Council.

With Putin now back as president after a four-year stint as prime minister, Russian foreign policy has become newly assertive and never again has Russia turned itself into a diplomatic irrelevance by abstaining at the UN.

Russia also has military and political interests in Syria dating back to the USSR’s alliance with Assad’s father and predecessor Hafez al-Assad that it is not willing to surrender in a hurry.

Moscow and the West have been at odds over the conflict since protests against Assad first erupted in March 2011 when Russia blocked UN Security Council sanctions against Damascus.

Russia has insisted it is not propping up Assad and wants to move to a political transition through a peace conference jointly organised with the United States. But it has also insisted Assad’s exit should not be a precondition for a settlement.

AFP

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34 responses to “Russia-West dispute over Syria hits new crisis point”

  1. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    Speaking of proofs, do the Russians have any proof that it was the rebels?
    Based on what are they saying that it’s a rebel ploy? Where did all this gas come from? How did it reach the rebels? Where was it mixed? How was it delivered?…
    They’re asking the US not to jump to conclusions while they jumped directly to the conclusion that it was the rebels…
    Grave consequences to the US-Russian relations? Who gives a $#!T!!!

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Proof is bad, Mekenseh …. unless you got ahold of a guy from their spy-dept … hehehehe)

    2. Igor Chingoski Avatar
      Igor Chingoski

      OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THAT IS THE SAME SCENARIO OF IRAQ WHEN RAMSEY CLARK SAID THAT THE TURKS (FOLLOWING ORDERS OF USA) GASSED THE KURDS AND NAILED TO SADDAM, NOW IRAQ IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF ISLAMIST GROUPS,

      THE ISLAMIST TURKS HAVE THE HABIT TO BEHEAD CATHOLIC PRIESTS OR CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS LIKE THEY DID INSIDE LEBANON IN THE PAST, I DON’T LIKE BASHAR, BUT ALSO I DON’T WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER SPILL OF EXTREMISM ADDED TO THE ONE WE HAVE NOW ONLY TO FAVOUR THE PLANS OF MERCENARIES.

      IF USA, ISRAEL AND UK DIDN’T STARTED THIS INSURRECTION LEBANON WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AT EASE, BUT THE REASON OF THIS INSURRECTION IS AS FOLLOWS:

      Just Remember that when Lebanon and Syria Re-established Diplomatic relations in 2009, We opened Our Embassy in Syria and Syria opened theirs in Lebanon respecting each other autonomy,

      Stating that Shebaa Farms are Lebanese.

      This is what Israel didn’t like because goes against their greed for keeping the Golan Heights and Shebaa farms, And this is why USA the UK and Israel harvested from Turkey an insurrection to topple Bashar Assad, Israel Don’t want anybody to have peace in the region is goes against them, Israel always will try to divide the region fomenting civilian unrest and rivalry the same way is been during many years, is a war of divide and defeat and is time for everyone to see what is really behind all this innocent bloodshed, is Evil.

      Lebanese army maps published in 1961 and 1966 specifically pinpoint several of the Shebaa Farms, including Zebdine, Fashkoul, Mougr Shebaa and Ramta, all of which are designated as being lebanese. Lebanese Ministry of Tourism maps also show the Lebanese-Syrian border running west of the Shebaa Farms. Syria has officially acknowledged the Farms are Lebanese.

      Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms belong to Lebanon. Assad told a news conference in Paris before ending a state visit to France, Beirut and Damascus will demarcate their countries’ border at Shebaa Farms after Israel withdraws from the region. They will then submit a new map to the UN.

      You see? And now they want the Lebanese Government to do the dirty work killing Palestinians who in turn are protected by the UN this way Israel and USA can demonize Lebanon as committing genocide so the Israelis can keep Our Land/ Dirty game indeed, but only those with no moral are truly dirty.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Stick with the simple Igor … who made the stuff, stock-piled it, and probably used it?
        If they didn’t want to, they should have ‘secured it all’ by destroying it.

        1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
          Igor Chingoski

          I will stick to the simple 5th shit ๐Ÿ™‚ You are here to stir shit without any regard for human life, hows that for simple? you are here to advocate the invasion of Lebanon, Not only the invasion of Syria, You are a product of squatters from Eastern Europe who converted the Promise Land in the Land of Crime.
          Hows that for simple 5th shit?

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            hahahahahahahahahaahahhahaha
            What can I say?
            hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha

          2. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            He’s not that brilliant. Just look at his profile picture. ๐Ÿ˜‰

          3. Pis someone off a 5th lol hehehe

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Yah Ali … I often worry about laying ‘myself’ out here too much … obviously I shouldn’t worry at all. :-)))))

      2. Jewy McJew Avatar
        Jewy McJew

        Igor, without thinking about it, name 5 things me and my racists-colonist-apartheid-zionazis are not responsible for.

        Wait, that’s not fair… name 3 things.

      3. MekensehParty Avatar
        MekensehParty

        Oh I see, somebody is crying because his motherland which used to be a superpower (pfff) is now a second rank player that gets shit on by the big guys. Learned from your foreign minister to bark well I see? Go ahead keep spewing nonsense and sew conspiracy theories that your (lack of) imagination turns into weird fantasies unattained by the worse fiction writer.

  2. MekensehParty Avatar
    MekensehParty

    Speaking of proofs, do the Russians have any proof that it was the rebels?
    Based on what are they saying that it’s a rebel ploy? Where did all this gas come from? How did it reach the rebels? Where was it mixed? How was it delivered?…
    They’re asking the US not to jump to conclusions while they jumped directly to the conclusion that it was the rebels…
    Grave consequences to the US-Russian relations? Who gives a $#!T!!!

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Proof is bad, Mekenseh …. unless you got ahold of a guy from their spy-dept … hehehehe)

    2. Igor Chingoski Avatar
      Igor Chingoski

      OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE THAT IS THE SAME SCENARIO OF IRAQ WHEN RAMSEY CLARK SAID THAT THE TURKS (FOLLOWING ORDERS OF USA) GASSED THE KURDS AND NAILED TO SADDAM, NOW IRAQ IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF ISLAMIST GROUPS,

      THE ISLAMIST TURKS HAVE THE HABIT TO BEHEAD CATHOLIC PRIESTS OR CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS LIKE THEY DID INSIDE LEBANON IN THE PAST, I DON’T LIKE BASHAR, BUT ALSO I DON’T WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER SPILL OF EXTREMISM ADDED TO THE ONE WE HAVE NOW ONLY TO FAVOUR THE PLANS OF MERCENARIES.

      IF USA, ISRAEL AND UK DIDN’T STARTED THIS INSURRECTION LEBANON WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AT EASE, BUT THE REASON OF THIS INSURRECTION IS AS FOLLOWS:

      Just Remember that when Lebanon and Syria Re-established Diplomatic relations in 2009, We opened Our Embassy in Syria and Syria opened theirs in Lebanon respecting each other autonomy,

      Stating that Shebaa Farms are Lebanese.

      This is what Israel didn’t like because goes against their greed for keeping the Golan Heights and Shebaa farms, And this is why USA the UK and Israel harvested from Turkey an insurrection to topple Bashar Assad, Israel Don’t want anybody to have peace in the region is goes against them, Israel always will try to divide the region fomenting civilian unrest and rivalry the same way is been during many years, is a war of divide and defeat and is time for everyone to see what is really behind all this innocent bloodshed, is Evil.

      Lebanese army maps published in 1961 and 1966 specifically pinpoint several of the Shebaa Farms, including Zebdine, Fashkoul, Mougr Shebaa and Ramta, all of which are designated as being lebanese. Lebanese Ministry of Tourism maps also show the Lebanese-Syrian border running west of the Shebaa Farms. Syria has officially acknowledged the Farms are Lebanese.

      Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms belong to Lebanon. Assad told a news conference in Paris before ending a state visit to France, Beirut and Damascus will demarcate their countries’ border at Shebaa Farms after Israel withdraws from the region. They will then submit a new map to the UN.

      You see? And now they want the Lebanese Government to do the dirty work killing Palestinians who in turn are protected by the UN this way Israel and USA can demonize Lebanon as committing genocide so the Israelis can keep Our Land/ Dirty game indeed, but only those with no moral are truly dirty.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Stick with the simple Igor … who made the stuff, stock-piled it, and probably used it?
        If they didn’t want to, they should have ‘secured it all’ by destroying it.

        1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
          Igor Chingoski

          I will stick to the simple 5th shit ๐Ÿ™‚ You are here to stir shit without any regard for human life, hows that for simple? you are here to advocate the invasion of Lebanon, Not only the invasion of Syria, You are a product of squatters from Eastern Europe who converted the Promise Land in the Land of Crime.
          Hows that for simple 5th shit?

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            hahahahahahahahahaahahhahaha
            What can I say?
            hahahahahahahhahahahahahhahaha

          2. The real lebanese Avatar
            The real lebanese

            He’s not that brilliant. Just look at his profile picture. ๐Ÿ˜‰

          3. Pis someone off a 5th lol hehehe

          4. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Yah Ali … I often worry about laying ‘myself’ out here too much … obviously I shouldn’t worry at all. :-)))))

      2. Jewy McJew Avatar
        Jewy McJew

        Igor, without thinking about it, name 5 things me and my racists-colonist-apartheid-zionazis are not responsible for.

        Wait, that’s not fair… name 3 things.

      3. MekensehParty Avatar
        MekensehParty

        Oh I see, somebody is crying because his motherland which used to be a superpower (pfff) is now a second rank player that gets shit on by the big guys. Learned from your foreign minister to bark well I see? Go ahead keep spewing nonsense and sew conspiracy theories that your (lack of) imagination turns into weird fantasies unattained by the worse fiction writer.

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Since Communist Days, Russia has never liked to be proven wrong. Or to appear to lose.
    Communists and their system were so perfect, basically, that when ‘Olympic Games’ began for ‘disabled’ and ‘special’ people, Communists said they didn’t have any – certainly none of those ‘western-style specials’ for sure. Only the western democratic-life created anything less than perfect.
    And now, forgetting that they had men posing as women in their winning Olympic teams of the cold-war days, they first claimed they had no ‘Gays’ … but now, in their version of democracy, just beat them regularly or jail them as criminals instead. It must be another ‘attack by the west’, after all.
    Remembering that they backed Hitler at first too, it must now be super-hard to swallow that they once again seem to have backed a killer-megalomaniac regime which gave them a beachfront property in the south and bought weapons from them for years. That DAMN WEST is after all their business … AGAIN.
    PRAVDA !!
    (By the way, you should read that net-site on occasion …. vastly entertaining. Unique news-angles. ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Having created KGB-Priests to run the few churches they didn’t feel they could close, by this time I’m sure those priests believe the propaganda versions of ‘the ancient texts’ too.
    (punk music bad – silent organs good)
    Now the whole UN – with the exception of other cheap or explosive toy-makers – is trying to say they were WRONG AGAIN. Even while they created another wonderful Olympic Site of Excellence, AND will allow the disabled and ‘specials’ in as well.
    “IS THERE NO PLEASING THE WEST ??? We stand firm.”
    (psssttt .. ignore those kids .. oh .. a million of them in camps too? … oh well … let the UN handle it … nothing but a pack of bleeding-hearts there anyway)

    1. The real lebanese Avatar
      The real lebanese

      Its just angrudge between US and Russia. Both want to be the top dogs

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Real. ๐Ÿ™‚ Only slightly different ‘business models’ …..

  4. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Since Communist Days, Russia has never liked to be proven wrong. Or to appear to lose.
    Communists and their system were so perfect, basically, that when ‘Olympic Games’ began for ‘disabled’ and ‘special’ people, Communists said they didn’t have any – certainly none of those ‘western-style specials’ for sure. Only the western democratic-life created anything less than perfect.
    And now, forgetting that they had men posing as women in their winning Olympic teams of the cold-war days, they first claimed they had no ‘Gays’ … but now, in their version of democracy, just beat them regularly or jail them as criminals instead. It must be another ‘attack by the west’, after all.
    Remembering that they backed Hitler at first too, it must now be super-hard to swallow that they once again seem to have backed a killer-megalomaniac regime which gave them a beachfront property in the south and bought weapons from them for years. That DAMN WEST is after all their business … AGAIN.
    PRAVDA !!
    (By the way, you should read that net-site on occasion …. vastly entertaining. Unique news-angles. ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Having created KGB-Priests to run the few churches they didn’t feel they could close, by this time I’m sure those priests believe the propaganda versions of ‘the ancient texts’ too.
    (punk music bad – silent organs good)
    Now the whole UN – with the exception of other cheap or explosive toy-makers – is trying to say they were WRONG AGAIN. Even while they created another wonderful Olympic Site of Excellence, AND will allow the disabled and ‘specials’ in as well.
    “IS THERE NO PLEASING THE WEST ??? We stand firm.” (psssttt .. ignore those kids .. )

    1. The real lebanese Avatar
      The real lebanese

      Its just angrudge between US and Russia. Both want to be the top dogs

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Real. ๐Ÿ™‚ Only slightly different ‘business models’ …..

  5. The real lebanese Avatar
    The real lebanese

    So if Assad’s regime was proven guilty, what will you do, President Putin?

    1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
      Igor Chingoski

      And if the so called resistance is guilty and proves that the USA did the same shit they did in Iraq, Who are you going to blame john Perry? who si going to attack USA?

      1. The real lebanese Avatar
        The real lebanese

        Iraq’s chemical weapons probably went to Syria. And I think we all know chemical weapons are being used in Syria. And i doubt al qaeda would plan an attack if the US was bombing Assad from sea. Maybe in the end though when stability was trying to be reached

  6. The real lebanese Avatar
    The real lebanese

    So if Assad’s regime was proven guilty, what will you do, President Putin?

    1. Igor Chingoski Avatar
      Igor Chingoski

      And if the so called resistance is guilty and proves that the USA did the same shit they did in Iraq, Who are you going to blame john Perry? who si going to attack USA?

      1. The real lebanese Avatar
        The real lebanese

        Iraq’s chemical weapons probably went to Syria. And I think we all know chemical weapons are being used in Syria. And i doubt al qaeda would plan an attack if the US was bombing Assad from sea. Maybe in the end though when stability was trying to be reached

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