Washington should respect the sovereignty of Syria in its attempts to deal with the Islamic state, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a phone call with his US counterpart, John Kerry.
Lavrov and Kerry talked on Sunday at the initiative of the US Secretary of State, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
During the conversation, the Russian FM stressed “the importance of coordinated action... by the international community aimed at countering the threat” coming from the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
However, he warned against “double standards” and “distortion of facts” during the battle against the terrorist group, which has declared a caliphate in the occupied territories of Syria and Iraq.
Lavrov underlined “the necessity for strict adherence to the UN Charter and international law as well as unconditional respect for Syrian sovereignty during the implementation of plans by the US-led coalition, which includes the use of force," the statement by the ministry said.