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Wednesday 23 January 2013 - 11:02

Russia raps Syria’s opposition for 'obsession' with toppling Assad

Story Code : 233915
Russia
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
The top Russian diplomat cited the opposition’s “obsession” with the push for to oust Assad as a blow to the peace efforts by the former UN peace envoy for Syria Kofi Annan and his successor Lakhdar Brahimi. 
 
"For now, everything is running up against the opposition's obsession with toppling Bashar Assad's regime," Lavrov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday. 
 
"As long as this irreconcilable position remains in place, nothing good can happen. Armed actions will continue and people will die," he added. 
 
The Russian foreign minister pointed the finger of blame at the Syria National Coalition, whose fundamental objective is said to be the overthrow of the Syrian government.
 
The 70-member coalition was formed in November 2012 with Western and Arab backing in Qatar after opposition groups signed a unity agreement, under pressure from the United States, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, to form a new coalition against Assad's government. 
 
The Syrian government has described the so-called National Coalition as a foreign-backed structure formed to destroy Syria.
 
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of security forces, have been killed in the turmoil. 
 
The Syrian government says the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals. 
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