Russia says US renounces Syria peace 'co-sponsor' role with embassy closure

Russia said Wednesday (19/03/2014) the United States had renounced its "co-sponsor" role in negotiating peace in Syria by closing down the Syrian embassy in Washington.

"By making such a unilateral move, our American partners in essence are depriving themselves of the role of co-sponsor of the process of political regulation in Syria and willy-nilly playing into the hands of the hard-core Syrian opposition," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The United States on Tuesday closed down the Syrian embassy in Washington and told Damascus it will no longer be able to operate two consulates in Michigan and Texas, citing the illegitimacy of President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

Moscow said it viewed the move with "concern and disappointment" and that it went against an agreement drawn up by world powers in Geneva in June 2012 on a political transition that did not spell out Assad's future.

It accused Washington of prioritising regime change over the tasks of destroying Syria's chemical weapons and helping its people.

"Resolving these without direct cooperation with the Syrian government is impossible," the statement said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the decision was taken because "the illegitimacy of the Assad regime is so overwhelming." - AFP