Putin: Washington is responsible for what is going on in Syria and region

Moscow, SANA – Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the USA is responsible for what is going on in Syria and in the region in general.

In an interview with French TV channel TF1 and quoted by RT Website, Putin said that Washington and its allies are using the crisis in Syria to play politics, instead of providing real solutions.

“I believe deeply that some of the responsibility for what is happening in the region in general and in Syria in particular lies especially with our western partners, above all the USA and its allies, including the main European countries,” said Putin.

Putin reminded that Washington pledged many times to separate the terrorist organization of Jabhat al-Nusra and other similar organizations from what was called “the sound part” of the so-called “armed opposition,” yet it did not implement the vows, insisting that ceasing hostilities is the main priority.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Washington has not implemented its pledges in accordance with the Russian-US deal on the cessation of hostilities in Syria and particularly separating what it calls “moderate opposition” from terrorist organization in Syria.

Putin also talked about the breakdown of the long-negotiated joint operation between Washington and Moscow in Syria, clarifying the key turning point was the September 16 US-led alliance strike on a Syrian army unit, which the Pentagon maintains was accident.

“Our American colleagues told us that this airstrike was made in error. This error cost the lives of 80 people and, also just coincidence, perhaps, ISIS took the offensive immediately afterwards. At the same time, lower down the ranks, at the operations level, one of the American military service personnel said quite frankly that they spent several days preparing this strike. How could they make an error if they were several days in preparation?” said Putin.“This is how our ceasefire agreement ended up broken.

The Russian President expressed hope to persuade all Russia’s partners that the democratic means for change in Syria under a strict supervision of the United Nations and without foreign interference is the sole solution to the crisis in it.

R. Milhem / Ghossoun