Moscow Threatens Syrian Dissidents after Boycotting Sochi Conference

Russia threatened the Syrian dissidents of dire consequences if they don’t participate in the peace conference in Sochi after the latter boycotted the meeting.

The Arabic service of Sputnik news agency reported that the negotiating committee of "the Revolutionary and Dissident Forces of Syria" has boycotted the Sochi conference due to be held on January 29 and 30.

But Spokesman of Russia's Humeimim base in Syria Alexander Ivanov warned that boycotting the Sochi conference would entail grave consequences for the dissidents.

He cautioned that delay in the political process in Syria would never be helpful to the dissidents at all, and said, "Naturally, we have many things to do to annihilate the extremist organizations in Syria."

Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey Sergei Lavrov and Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke by phone on Saturday, focusing on preparations for the Syrian National Dialogue Congress due in Sochi on January 29-30, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s press service said on Saturday.

"On 27January 2018, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation S.V. Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu had a phone conversation requested by the Turkish side," the ministry wrote on its Facebook page.

"In the context of preparations for the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi on January 29-30, 2018, the ministers shared views on final aspects of organizing and holding the given event," it says.

The Syrian National Dialogue Congress is due to take place in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi on January 29-30. The peace conference is expected to bring together about 1,500 participants from the entire spectrum of Syria’s political forces.
  (FNA)
 28/1/18