Lavrov: U.S. has changed mind on plan for militant withdrawals from Aleppo

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Dec. 6. that the United States is revoking its Dec. 2 proposals concerning the withdrawal of militants from eastern Aleppo, while Washington’s new proposals would let the extremists take a break.

"Yesterday we received from them [the United States - TASS] a notification that they will be unable to attend the meeting [for consultations over Aleppo], because they have changed their mind. They are revoking their previous document, now they have a new one," said Lavrov.

"This document, according to our first impressions, takes everything back to square one and looks like an attempt to gain time to let the militants take a break and replenish their reserves."

Lavrov and Kerry discuss settlement in Syria at conference in Rome

Lavrov stated that all attempts at starting a serious discussion with the United States over Syria had proved futile.

"There is the understanding that a serious discussion with our American partners does not work. That was precisely the case with the Sept. 9 agreements, which were achieved and took effect, but the United States eventually started looking for pretexts for quitting them and finally produced such an excuse. The current situation looks very similar."

One has the impression, he went on to say, that Washington tries to discredit Kerry’s statements and actions after the aforesaid agreements had been concluded at meetings with him.

At a rendezvous with Lavrov in Rome on Dec. 3 Kerry called for Russian-U.S. consultations on eastern Aleppo. Washington’s initiative came against the background of Syrian army successes in the struggle against extremists in the city.

Kerry’s proposals envisaged coordination of dates and routes for the militants’ pullout from eastern Aleppo. It was expected that Russian and U.S. experts were to enter into consultations over Kerry’s initiative in Geneva on Dec. 6 or 7.

Source: TASS