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Lavrov says during talks US admitted Islamic State is a 'bigger threat than Assad'

23 September 2016 20:49 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The refusal or inability to separate opposition forces from militants in Syria indicate that plans to change the Syrian regime remain in force, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his speech at the general discussion of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, APA reports quoting Tass.

"It is fundamentally important to meet the United Nations Security Council requirement to separate the so-called moderate opposition from terrorists. The United States and members of the U.S.-led coalition bear special responsibility for this process," Lavrov said.

"The refusal or inability to do that under the current circumstances cannot but strengthen suspicion that some wants to protect Jabhat al-Nusra and the regime change plans still exist, which is the grossest violation of the UN Security Council resolution," the diplomat stressed.

"It will be impossible to resolve the Syrian crisis and improve the dismal humanitarian situation without suppressing ISIS (Islamic State) and Jabhat al-Nusra and the extremists groups which have merged with them. This is the key to strengthening the regime of cessation of military hostilities and establishing truce on a nationwide scale," the Russian foreign minister said adding that "the ceasefire regime is senseless without separating the terrorists from moderate opposition groups."