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| Putin warns against aggravating Syria crisis |
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.jpg) Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday it was important to avoid actions that might aggravate the Syrian crisis, a veiled warning against foreign military intervention or arming anti-government forces.
Russia and the United States are trying to bring the warring sides together at an international conference on ending the bloodshed in Syria, but Moscow is concerned that Washington or other countries might arm the rebels, Reuters reported.
"In this crucial period it is extremely important to avoid any actions that could aggravate the situation," Putin said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. He gave no further details.
Netanyahu did not immediately make clear whether Putin had eased his concerns that Russia is about to deliver an advanced air defense system to Damascus that could undercut the new diplomatic initiative aimed at reaching a political solution.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that Russia had no new plans to sell the S-300 missile defense system to President Bashar al-Assad's government but left open the possibility they could be delivered under an existing contract.
The Syria crisis began in March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of soldiers and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
In an interview broadcast on Turkish television on April 5, Assad said that if the militants take power in Syria, they could destabilize the entire Middle East region for decades.
“If the unrest in Syria leads to the partitioning of the country, or if the terrorist forces take control… the situation will inevitably spill over into neighboring countries and create a domino effect throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he stated.
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