Spokesman for the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Riad Nassan Agha, described remarks made by Russia’s deputy foreign minister as “tweeting outside of the flock.” Agha said that the UN Security Council resolution 2254 has been ignored by Russia and rejected by the Assad regime.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov on Monday said that there should not be insistence on August 1 as the date set by the UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) for the launch of political transition and the drafting of a new constitution.
Agha pointed out that the HNC called for the postponement of the negotiations until the Assad regime stops bombing civilians.
Agha added: “Bashar al-Assad said that the HNC violates Syria’s sovereignty. He also rejected the UN Security Council resolution 2245 which called for taking confidence-building measures before the launch of negotiations; namely the introduction of aid to besieged areas, lifting sieges, and releasing detainees.”
“Today, the international community is unable to deliver aid to besieged areas, except for some towns such as Douma and Daraya in rural Damascus to which aid was introduced only recently. The number of besieged areas across Syria increased from 18 to 42,” Agha added. (Source: Smart News)