Russia, Germany urge parties against wasting time in Syria crisis

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday, March 23, Russia and Germany agreed on the need for inclusive Syria peace talks in Geneva, Reuters reports.

Speaking after a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Lavrov said maintaining relations with Germany was a priority for Russia.

"We are all aware ... there is no time to lose. Nobody, also none of the parties to the conflict, should try to run down the clock at this point," Steinmeier said, in turn.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that peace talks on the Syria conflict taking place in Geneva were always set to be long and difficult, and that it was too early to talk about patience running out on any side of the negotiations.

"No one ever expected easy negotiations, and it would hardly be right to already be feeling a lack of patience. Patience, a lot of it, will still be required on all sides. That is obvious," Peskov said on a conference call with reporters, Reuters says. "Russia has consistently followed an approach of providing as much assistance as possible for the talks among Syrians to advance successfully. And without doubt Russia will continue to take this responsible approach."