The West is encouraging the Syrian opposition to continue its confrontation with the ruling regime and Washington is “persistently and publicly” advising them to reject all peace proposals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
“The radical opposition is being incited to set a firm course toward regime change and reject all compromise proposals,” Lavrov said.
Russia was “greatly disappointed” with the fact that Washington advised the opposition against responding to President Bashar Al Assad’s call to lay down arms in return for an amnesty, Lavrov said.
Russia is not abandoning its efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis, the minister went on, and on Tuesday Burhan Ghalioun, a representative of the opposition National Council, will visit Moscow.
On Saturday the Arab League suspended Syria from the organization and said it will impose harsh economic and political sanctions against Assad’s government.
Last week Damascus agreed to accept the Arab League peace plan on Syria. Under the plan, Syria would release political prisoners detained during the ongoing conflict, and all military equipment would be removed from urban areas.
Opposition leaders maintain that Syrian authorities continue to use force against "peaceful demonstrations" and many people were killed or injured as a result.
According to UN estimates, more than 3,000 people have been killed in Syria since mid-March, when first anti-regime protests began.
