The official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova
© Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS
MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. The statement of US state Secretary Rex Tillerson on Syria, made before his first visit to Russia, is not regarded as an ultimatum. This was stated by the official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, the radio station “Vesti FM”.
“I don’t think it’s an ultimatum, I see this as a political statement, as “muscle-flexing” before the talks. This is quite in line with the approaches of Washington – and, I think, in many administrations – to the beginning of the international negotiation process,” she said, adding that to demonstrate “his own greatness” of the United States should show himself “an example of peaceful settlement of at least one of the crisis.”
Rex Tillerson arrived in Russia on April 11. The Central point of his talks in Moscow with Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, is expected to become the Syrian crisis. According to the head of the state Department, Russia has to make a choice between solidarity with the democratic countries of the West and support for President Bashar al-Assad. “We want to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can play an important role. Or Russia will maintain the Union (with Assad), which, in our opinion, does not correspond to its interests,” Tillerson said after talks with foreign Ministers of the G7 countries.