Claims Russia Tries to Derail Intra-Syrian Talks 'Absolutely Unfounded'

GENEVA (Sputnik) —Claims that Russia tries to make the current intra-Syrian talks in Geneva fail are absolutely unfounded, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told Sputnik on Thursday.

On Monday, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Russia and Iran are not being "particularly helpful to the peace process" in Syria since they are working "hand in glove" with the Syrian government.

"These are unfounded accusations, not based on anything at all. This is an attempt to avoid solving the problem," Gatilov said.

On Friday, the highly-anticipated talks on Syrian reconciliation mediated by the United Nations began in Geneva in line with the December UN Security Council's resolution on Syrian settlement, that ruled to bring the entire spectrum of political groups in the crisis-torn country to the negotiating table.

On Wednesday, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura decided to postpone the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva until February 25, as many precursory issues, including securing access for humanitarian aid deliveries to besieged areas in Syria, remained unresolved.