Syrian Coalition: Russian Support Fuels Assad’s Arrogance and Prompts More Massacres

Yahya Maktabi, member of the political committee, criticized Russia’s objection to supplying rebels with advanced weapons today. “While Russia, along with Iran, gives unconditioned military and political support to the Assad regime, including 1400-1600 tons of new weapons and gear on a weekly basis, Russia objects to supplying the rebels with light weapons to defend themselves.  Russians should put pressure on the Assad regime to stop its war against the Syrian people, or least adhere to neutrality by calling for a ceasefire demanding that halt of arms flow to both sides of the conflict,” Maktabi said. He also stresses that Russian support for the Assad regime fuels its arrogance and emboldens it to commit more massacres, letting go of reaching a political solution, let alone Russia’s use of its veto power to shield the Assad regime against any international condemnation. The Friends of Syria’s core 11-member group pledged to support the rebels to get military balance on the battlefield and increase the chances of reaching a political solution.” Furthermore, Maktabi expressed hope that the Russian-American disagreement over the crisis in Crimea and other files lead to ratcheting up the pressure on Russian to change its position of the Syrian crisis in a way that force the Assad regime to agree to a political solution.” The Russian Foreign Ministry said yesterday that “the delivery of modern weapons to Syrian rebels would destabilize the situation and impede reaching a political solution. If the U.S. administration allowed the sending of these weapons, then it contradicts its statements about commitment to bringing about a political solution to the Syrian crisis.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)