Damascus welcomes Russia-US rapprochement on Syria crisis

Damascus, May 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Syria's foreign ministry Thursday welcomed rapprochement between the US and Russia over resolving the crisis in the war-torn country, state news agency SANA reported.

SANA said Syria welcomes the rapprochement as it is convinced by "Russia's firm stance that is founded on the UN Charter and the rules of the international law, particularly the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the principle of not using or threatening the use of force against the territories or political independence of any state".

"Syria stresses that the credibility of the US position on adopting the political solution to the crisis in Syria lies in working seriously with its allies to halt the violence and terrorism and drain its sources so as to pave the way for launching the political dialogue," the agency quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.

The ministry also said that only "the Syrian people alone determine their future and the constitutional system of their state without any foreign interference".

Moscow and Washington agreed Tuesday to convene international talks on Syria that will include both representatives of the Syrian government and opposition.

The conference, expected to be arranged by the end of this month, will be aimed at facilitating a solution to the Syrian crisis through political dialogue, US Secretary of State John Kerry said at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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