MOSCOW, February 12 (RIA Novosti) – Recent statements by the US leader on Russia and Syria are an attempt to manipulate public opinion and force Russia to support a “counterproductive” UN resolution, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
US President Barack Obama said Tuesday that Russian officials “cannot say they are concerned about the well-being of the Syrian people when there are starving civilians,” adding that Moscow should step up efforts to expedite the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution on Syria.
Obama accused the Syrian government Tuesday of provoking a humanitarian crisis in the country and of stalling on the international effort to destroy its chemical weapon stockpile. He said it was the responsibility of Russia – which brokered the weapons deal – to ensure that the Syrian government complies with its international obligations.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich responded Wednesday that the United States had deliberately distorted Moscow’s position on Syria.
“Their determination to shift responsibility onto others is yet another attempt to misinform the international community and create the propaganda background required to push an unbalanced and counterproductive so-called humanitarian resolution through the UN Security Council,” he said.
Russia has used its Security Council veto to block several UN resolutions against the Syrian government and has been its main ally since fighting broke out between government troops and armed rebels there three years ago. The US has supported the Syrian opposition in the ongoing conflict.
