Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Venezuela and Britain

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Endless US-led aggression in Syria rages with no prospect for resolution any time soon. 

On Sunday, US-supported terrorists attacked government forces in Hama province. Pentagon forces allied with jihadists attacked other Syrian troops while transporting oil in the Euphrates River Valley.

Separately, Turkey's war ministry demanded Syrian forces cease its campaign to liberate Idlib province from control by US/Ankara-supported terrorists, a statement adding:

"We expect the Russian Federation to take effective and decisive measures to prevent these violations and attacks (sic) in the following period…(Syria is) attempt(ing) to widen its control area in (southern) Idlib against the Astana Agreement."

Nothing in any agreement prevents Syrian forces from liberating the republic's sovereign territory.

Days earlier, Sergey Lavrov said "the terrorist nest" in Idlib province "must be uprooted." The ongoing campaign doesn't violate the Astana agreement, Lavrov stressed, adding:

Al-Nusra terrorists "don't only control the situation (in Iblib), but also shell and attack Syrian military positions and civilian areas. Recently, they also shelled the Russian Khmeimim airbase," why attacking and eliminating them is essential.

The Astana agreement "doesn't include a single word about the importance of protecting terrorists" — ones Erdogan supports, giving them safe haven in Turkish territory, after vowing to  disarm and eliminate them.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (MZ below), things in Idlib and Syria's northeast remain "explosive," adding:

Al-Nusra terrorists "fired mortars and missiles at towns and villages near the Idlib de-escalation zone, resulting in civilian deaths," adding: 

"According to incoming reports, the terrorist groups there are planning an offensive on Syrian government forces' positions in the provinces of Hama and Aleppo."

Sergey Lavrov and Mike Pompeo discussed the ongoing Trump regime coup plot against Venezuela's democratically elected government, achieving nothing, agreeing to disagree.

MZ: "Russia is working for a constructive agenda in Venezuela. We urge all parties to observe the UN Charter and strictly comply with the principles and standards of international law, including respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the non-use of force or the threat of force." 

"We emphasize that we never interfere in the internal affairs of other states and call on others to do likewise."

Moscow maintains normal relations with Venezuela, supporting President Maduro's legitimacy.

His government foiled everything Trump regime hardliners threw at the Bolivarian Republic, including the fake April 30 coup plot.

It tried to convince ordinary Venezuelans a coup was unfolding, seeking their support, along with getting Bolivarian military commanders and rank-and-file soldiers to defect. 

The scheme was mostly prelude for further shoes to drop, including stiffer sanctions, maybe an embargo to try blocking Venezuelan exports altogether, and possible US military intervention.

MZ: The April 30 incident and other US orchestrated actions since January "give much food for thought to those who recklessly supported the self-proclaimed president and deprived themselves of potential diplomatic credibility in the future," adding:

"It is time for the opposition leaders to agree to the negotiating process that has been long suggested by the government and to discuss steps on Venezuela's return to the road of stable and steady development in a responsible and constructive manner in strict accordance with international law and the Constitution."

Remarks like the above fall on deaf ears in Washington, the Trump regime hellbent for toppling Maduro and eliminating Venezuela's social democracy, wanting control over the country's vast oil reserves and other valued resources.

MZ diplomatically criticized UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt for slamming RT, saying:

"Channels like RT – better known as Russia Today – want their viewers to believe that truth is relative (sic) and the facts will always fit the Kremlin's official narrative (sic). Even when that narrative keeps changing (sic)."  

MZ: Hunt "repeated the traditional fake news that Russia 'came up with over 40 separate narratives to explain' the incident in Salisbury which the channel allegedly spreads, acting as a 'weapon of disinformation.' "

MZ stressed that Russia's Foreign Ministry notified Britain's Foreign Office about Hunt's "disgraceful statement," adding:

"The fact that Jeremy Hunt dared to utter such absolutely outrageous statements illustrates British politicians' lack of integrity and complete disregard for the values of the freedom of expression, as considerations of political expediency are much more important to those politicians than real facts and the truth."

RT and Sputnik News provide valuable news, information, and analysis, polar opposite how major Western media operate — including the UK owned, controlled, and operated BBC propaganda disservice to its viewers and listeners.

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