Iranian, Russian Diplomats Urge Diplomatic End to Crisis in Syria
(FNA)- Iran's Ambassador to Russia Seyed Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi and Russian Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov stressed the necessity for the settlement of the current crisis in Syria through diplomatic means.
During a meeting in Moscow, the two diplomats reiterated that Syria's crisis should be settled through diplomacy and without presence of any foreign country.
They also underlined the need to implement the peace plan proposed by the UN special envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, to settle the Syrian crisis.
Sajjadi, for his part, said all nations should respect the Syrians' demands and let them decide their own fate.
The remarks by the Iranian envoy came after the West-led so-called Friends of Syria group on Friday called in Paris for the introduction of a no-fly zone in the Muslim country.
In reply, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said that the introduction of a no-fly zone in Syria was a "counter-productive" and a "unilateral" step.
"We repeatedly pointed out at the counter-productiveness of various unilateral steps, like proposals about the creation of the humanitarian corridors and safety zones," Gatilov told reporters on Friday.
"These ideas have not been supported by the international humanitarian organizations working in Syria. These dubious ideas are not needed," he said.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country.
Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes.
The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad.
In October, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of increasing unrests in Syria.