Louay Safi, spokesman for the Syrian Coalition, said that Russia’s warnings against arming the FSA with anti-aircraft weapons are inconsistent with the international role that the Russians are expected to play to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Safi also stresses that “if the Russians were really positive in their attitude towards the Syrian people, they should stop their military support for the Assad regime.” In response to statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry expressing concern about the future of minorities in Syria, Safi said that “we are also concerned about the cultural and religious diversity of the Syrian society that the Assad regime seeks to undermine it. If Russia is really concerned about the future of minorities in Syria, they must end the violence of the Assad regime instead of shielding it from any accountability. The fate of religious and ethnic diversity in Syria is threatened because of the ongoing violence and the decline of economy and unemployment, which will encourage a lot of Syrians, especially minorities, to migrate to countries that provide security, justice give and the opportunity to live a free and dignified life.” Furthermore, Safi points out that if the Russian concerns are sincere, they should corroborate their statements by practical steps and stop its military and political support to the Assad regime.” Moreover, Safi criticized Russia’s silence towards the strategic coordination and cooperation between the Assad regime and ISIS especially that the practices of ISIS are forcing the minorities to flee out of the country. Safi noted that ISIS restricts the “intellectual and religious freedom of Christians in Al Raqqa province, amid utter silence by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Assad regime towards ISIS practices.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
