Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Geir Pedersen

On December 7, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a meeting with Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Geir Pedersen on the sidelines of the Doha Forum.    

The officials held a detailed exchange of views on developments in Syria, taking into account the large-scale offensive launched by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants and affiliated armed groups in northwestern Syria.  They focused on a substantive consideration of possible emergency measures to stabilise the situation, protect the civilian population, ensure humanitarian access, and prevent further developments that could have disastrous consequences.  

The Russian Foreign Minister stressed the need to respect the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.

The officials also expressed support for all parties involved to consolidate efforts with the aim of restoring stability and constitutional order in Syria.