Russia-US Lileky to Have Different Approaches to UN Talks on Syria - Russian FM

Sputnik — A difference in approaches toward the Syrian conflict between Moscow and Washington could explain Monday's postponed trilateral meeting with the UN, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday.

"Perhaps we are dealing here with certain differences in Moscow's and Washington's approaches to the issues that need to be discussed there," Ryabkov told reporters.

He said that the US "has not confirmed from the very beginning that it will be ready for this trilateral meeting."

By the way, Russia does not favor the elimination of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) but wants its experts to visit the site of this month's reported chemical weapons attack in Syria, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday.

"We are being 'imputed' by our opponents that we undermine confidence in the OPCW, the fact-finding mission. We do not want to eliminate anything, we are not in favor of replacing the existing mechanism with anything new," Ryabkov said.
He told reporters that Moscow wants the existing mechanism to "work correctly" in relation to the reported April 4 incident in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib province.

"So that the trip to the site takes place as soon as possible, and that this group includes not those who do not inspire confidence, but that they work together with no less qualified experts from other countries," Ryabkov said.