Lavrov said in a press conference in Damascus on Tuesday President Assad was âfully committedâ to stopping the unrest in the country, âfrom whatever source it comes.â
âWe have every reason to believe that the signal that we have brought here to move along in a more active manner along all directions has been heard,â Lavrov said.
The Russian foreign minister added that Moscow âintends to be actively engaged inâ finding a solution to the unrest in Syria with the âSyrian side, Syriaâs neighbors and the Arab League.â
Lavrov, accompanied by Mikhail Fradkov, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, arrived in Damascus for talks with President Assad on Tuesday.
On January 28, Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi said in a statement the organization had decided to âimmediately stop the work of the Arab League's mission to Syriaâ due to âthe critical deterioration of the situationâ in the country.
The observer mission had been in Syria since December 26, 2011 and was tasked with monitoring the implementation of the Arab League resolution to end the unrest in the country.
The Russian foreign minister said on Tuesday, âSyria has notified the Arab League of its interest in the Leagueâs mission continuing its work and increasing its quantity.â
âRussia is convinced in the need for the mission, which is a serious stabilizing factor in Syria, to remain and expand,â Lavrov added.
Russian officials said Lavrovâs Tuesday trip to Damascus was because Moscow sought âthe swiftest stabilization of the situation in Syria on the basis of the swiftest implementation of democratic reforms whose time has come.â
According to Russian media reports, Lavrov said President Assad will âin the nearest futureâ meet with a commission that has been preparing the âdraft of a new constitutionâ and the schedule of a referendum on the draft âwill be announced.â
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Source: Press TV
