Mansour Receives Letter from Lavrov: Russia Can Play Effective Role in Ending Syrian Crisis

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour praised on Saturday Russia’s position on the Syrian crisis, noting that it had called against foreign meddling in the Arab state since the beginning of the unrest.

He made his statements after holding a meeting with Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin during which he received a letter from his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the situation in Syria.

Mansour said after the talks: “Due to its position in the Arab world, Russia can play an effective and important role in ending the Syrian crisis while maintaining the country’s unity, stability, and security.”

“Dialogue is the best way to end the crisis,” he stressed.

For his part, Zasypkin stated that the Arab observer mission monitoring the situation in Syria is facing a difficult task because it needs political and moral support.

He added that the Syrian opposition should take a constructive position on holding dialogue with the Syrian regime.

The developments in Syria indicate that there can be no substitute for an internal political settlement as stipulated in the Arab League initiative, he stressed.

Earlier in December, the United States urged Russia to back U.N. Security Council action on Syria, after U.N. officials said the death toll in the months-long Syrian protests had exceeded 5,000.

"Frankly we think that it is past time for the U.N. Security Council to speak up," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters, denouncing Security Council silence on the Syrian regime as "unconscionable."

"And we are again calling on our partners on the Security Council to be willing to take action and speak out for the innocents in Syria who are suffering at the hands of the regime, including Russia," Nuland said.

Lavrov had slammed as "immoral" Western accusations it was blocking U.N. action condemning the deadly crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Russia and China in October used a rare double veto to block a Western-backed resolution condemning Assad's regime. Brazil, India, Lebanon and South Africa abstained.

Moscow said then that the action was one-sided and on Tuesday argued that "armed extremist groups" were becoming increasingly reckless as Western pressure on Assad grew.