"We will continue to deliver this equipment to the Syrian state in order to ensure its defense capabilities to confront the terrorist threat," Lavrov said at a press conference.
He added that Russian soldiers and military experts are in Syria to service the military equipment and teach Syrian servicemen to use it.
Last week, US Secretary of State John Kerry expressed to Lavrov concerns about reports of alleged Russia's military build-up in Syria, which he said could lead to "an escalation of conflict" in the war-torn country.
Dismissing the comments, the top Russian diplomat insisted that the resolution of the crisis should include all forces in the region capable of resisting the IS, including the Syrian army.
However, Western countries and their allies insist on the resignation of the country's president, Bashar al-Assad.
Lavrov clarified that what Russia supported in Syria was not Assad's regime but Damascus' struggle against the IS.
"We support the struggle of the Syrian state against the so-called Islamic State, which does not present any Islam and is not a state for that matter," he said.
Lavrov said Moscow has always defended collective efforts based on international law, adding that he considered the Syrian army the most efficient and powerful ground force to fight the IS.
"We have been saying this from the very beginning of operations by the coalition led by our American colleagues, and we are still, better late than never, inviting its members to start cooperating with the Syrian government and the Syrian army," Lavrov said.
Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
11/9/15
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Moscow is sending an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria, two Western officials and a Russian source said, as part of what the West believes is stepped-up military support for embattled President Bashar al-Assad....
ReplyDeleteThe Western officials said the SA-22 system would be operated by Russian troops, rather than Syrians. The system was on its way to Syria but had not yet arrived.
"This system is the advanced version used by Russia and it's meant to be operated by Russians in Syria," said one of the sources, a Western diplomat who is regularly briefed on U.S., Israeli and other intelligence assessments.
Two U.S. officials separately confirmed the information. The second U.S. official said the United States had indications that, although the entire system had not arrived, some control system components for the SA-22 had been positioned at an airfield near Latakia, an Assad stronghold........Reuters
11/9/15