Lavrov: If Syria talks fail, there is a threat of a military solution
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has given a lengthy interview to the Moskovsky Komsomolets (MK) daily, the second part of which was published this morning.
I have translated below the parts of the interview relating to the Syrian crisis and the IS group. In the next post, I'll take a look at some of the key points Lavrov is making here and what they mean.
MK: The remarkable Russian orientalist Vitaly Naumkin told me the other day that he sees three main scenarios in the development of the situation in Syria: a compromise in the Geneva talks, a military victory by government troops and a great war with direct participation by various foreign countries. Do you agree with this assessment? And if so, which scenario seems most likely to you?
Lavrov: I agree, since all of this is on the surface. If the talks fail or even if they don't start, then, probably the emphasis will be on a military solution. This is what some countries are saying, without beating around the bush; they are governed, as I understand it, but an almost personal hatred for Bashar al-Assad.
The United States and we were willing and actively proposed during the Vienna meeting of the International Syria Support Group to set out in writing, and afterwards in a UN Security Council Resolution, a very simple phrase -- the Syrian crisis does not have a military solution. The United States, Russia and the Europeans were in favor of this phrase. However, several American partners from the region categorically blocked this idea. So this is very real. Now we hear announcements that there are plans to send ground troops.
Saudi Arabia said that for the war against IS it does not exclude the involvement of a force they have created, the so-called Islamic anti-terrorist coalition. Some other countries have started to say that they are prepared to support this idea. During the visit of His Majesty the King of Bahrain Hamad al-Khalifa, information emerged that Bahrain had signed up to this. But when he was in Russia on Feb. 8, His Majesty and his Foreign Minister said this is not so and that there are no such plans.
We are very disturbed by reports that are constantly coming via public and private channels: the Turks are definitely planning or even perhaps have begun to explore parts of Syrian territory on the pretext of creating tent camps there, to concentrate Syrian refugees without allowing them to cross the Turkish border, where they say that camps are already overcrowded.
On the Turkish side, talks continue regarding the creation of a buffer zone on Syrian territory, free of IS. Everyone understands that we are talking about a stretch of the border between two Kurdish enclaves, the joining of the forces of which Turkey considers completely unacceptable if only because this will stop Turkey from supplying militants in Syria and from getting smuggled goods from them.
There is evidence that the leadership of IS continues to have secret contacts with the Turkish government. They are discussing options for action in the current circumstances, when thanks to our air strikes the options for traditional smuggling routes are severely limited.
According to our information, the Turks in NATO have already discussed their ideas of creating in Syria a "zone free from IS." This of course would be a violation of all the principles of international law. This would significantly and qualitatively increase the chances of an escalation.
So of the three options suggested by my good friend Naumkin, of course, we are relying on the first: to reach a compromise in negotiations.
MK: How would Russia react if Turkey goes ahead with its threat and carries out a full scale invasion of Syria?
Lavrov: I don't think this will happen, because the small provocations that I've already talked about -- the constriction of tent camps, the preparation of some sort of engineering structures 100-200 meters inside Syrian territory and a few km wide -- these are not a full scale invasion. I don't think that the U.S.-led coalition, which includes Turkey, will allow such reckless plans to happen.
MK: But if the worst, nightmarish version were to happen, wouldn't a Turkish invasion give rise to a real possibility of direct clashes between our air force and Turkish troops?
Lavrov: Unfortunately, there was already a direct clash on Nov. 24. Still there has been no apology. And not even a hint of remorse. Moreover, we are asked to apologize for violating Turkish air space. Even though everyone knows that how Turks behave towards the sovereignty of Greece and Cyprus over their air space.
We have demonstrated maximum endurance. But we have taken all measures for the future: our bombers are no longer flying without fighter cover. Moreover, on the ground we've deployed S-400s and other air defense systems which will guarantee 100 percent the safety of the air space in which our pilots are operating.
Turkey detains 34 at Syrian border with explosives, suicide vests
The Turkish military has detained 34 people and seized up to 15 kg of explosives and four suicide vests as they tried to enter Turkey from Syria, Turkish media is reporting the army as saying.
The group consisted of four men, 10 women and 20 children, the Dogan news agency reported, according to Reuters.
We are now closing the live blog for today. We'll be back Tracking Islamic State tomorrow morning.
MSF: air strike hits field hospital in southern Syria, 3 dead
Medicins Sans Frontieres have told AFP that an air strike has hit an MSF-supported field hospital in southern Syria, killing three people.
The hospital is in Tafas (click here for a map) in Daraa province, 12 kilometers from the Jordanian border. The strike hit on the night of Feb. 5, MSF told AFP's Jean-Marc Mojon.
Tafas is just north of Daraa city and of the town of Athman, which Syrian government forces captured from rebels on Feb. 5. It is not clear who carried out the air strike on the hospital -- the Syrian government or Russia.
Syrian government forces backed by Russian air strikes and assisted by Iranian-backed militias have been carrying out an offensive in Daraa.
MSF said that the strike has caused partial damage to the hospital and put its heavily used ambulance service out of action.
MSF released this eye witness account from a staff member at the hospital.
“I was on my way to the hospital to help admit people who had been injured by the airstrikes,” says one staff member.
“But as soon as I reached the hospital, I myself got injured. It all happened very quickly. I saw what looked like an explosion and then a flash of light, and then I lost consciousness for five minutes. My colleagues saw me lying on the ground, bleeding, and rushed me inside. I was injured in both my arm and leg by shrapnel.”
Indonesia imprisons seven Islamic State supporters
A court in Indonesia has sentenced seven men to between three and five years in jail for supporting IS group -- the first time an Indonesian court has passed prison sentences for recruiting and helping people travel to Syria to fight alongside IS.
The move comes after IS carried out an attack in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta last month.
Russia will help the U.S. solve the Syrian crisis -- but only on the basis of existing agreements: Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has said that Moscow will help the United States solve the crisis in Syria but only on the basis of existing agreements.
"[The United States] is trying to impose on us responsibility for a great deal that is going on in Syria and in Ukraine. But at the same time they come to us and ask us to help solve the problem in Syria and to ensure a cease fire," Lavrov said in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets.
Lavrov said that Washington's "rhetoric" was accompanied by "a very pragmatic approach to us with a request for help. We are ready, but we will rely, of course, on the principles and concrete agreements that have been secured regarding Ukraine and the Syrian [political] settlement."
Kurds must participate in Syria peace talks: Lavrov
Kurds must participate in the Syria peace talks and only Turkey wants to exclude them from negotiations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
"The Turks have openly said that we have spoiled their hand. And now they are trying to pillory the Americans too. The President of Turkey, Erdogan, demanded that Washington choose either the Kurds or Turkey. The answer has already come from Washington (so far anonymously) that the Kurds, including the Syrian Democratic Union Party, which the Turks associate with terrorism, are Washington's partners in the fight against IS," Lavrov said.
"We are also working with them. The fact that they are excluded from the Syrian talks is the exclusive arrogant position of Turkey, that is not shared with anyone else."
WATCH: Displaced Syrians at the Turkish border after fleeing Aleppo fighting
This footage of displaced Syrians near the Bab al-Salameh border crossing with Turkey was uploaded on Feb. 8. Syrian refugees are waiting near the border -- which remains closed -- after fleeing a government offensive in northern Aleppo province.
UN fears Aleppo assault could cut off 300,000 civilians
The UN fears that as many as 300,000 civilians could be cut off from food supplies if Syrian forces encircle rebel-held parts of the city.
A road from Turkey used by the World Food Programme to reach eastern Aleppo with food aid was cut off last week after the government launched a major offensive backed by Russian air strikes. The WFP has an alternative route but that may soon be blocked as well.