Lavrov: Laying down arms should be priority in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that it should be a priority for all fighting parties in Syria to lay down arms without any pre-condition. If fall of Assad regime and change of rule in Syria became a priority, then such a geopolitical approach would cost the lives of innocent people, added Lavrov who held a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Istanbul on Wednesday. We don't struggle for a change in administration and we don't support such initiatives in Syria, said Lavrov, adding that priority was to stop the conflict and to restore peace as well as to make democratic reforms. All parties' laying down arms without any pre-condition should be a priority, he said. Noting that humanitarian dimension of the conflict in Syria was huge, Lavrov said that they were aware of the burden on Turkey's shoulders as well as other neighboring countries. We want a dialogue to start within the scope of Geneva agreement, said Lavrov, adding that like Davutoglu mentioned, horrible incidents would continue in Syria if a military solution was preferred in the country. We want Syrian people's interests to be taken into consideration, he said.