Russia says excluding “Syrian opposition” from UN oil sales ban list goes against UN Charter

Moscow, SANA-Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said an exclusion of the Syrian opposition from a UN list that seeks to bar oil sales by terrorists will go against the UN Charter.

Bogdanov was quoted by the Russian Novosti news agency as commenting on preparations at the UN Security Council for issuing a statement banning the purchase of oil from terrorists.

The Russian official expressed regret that a number of Russia’s partners want the UN statement to include talk about specific terrorist organizations listed as such by the UN “while at the same time gives free hand to some opposition groups with whom they have contacts.”

Russia sees that this will fundamentally contradict the UN Charter regarding the core principles of non-interference in the affairs of states and the respect for their sovereignty, Bogdanov stated.

He unveiled that his country proposed that inter-Syrian negotiations be supported by bringing Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, besides Russia and the US, on board.

Last month, Russia has asked the United Nations Security Council to condemn the sale of Syrian oil by terrorist groups, including ISIS and Al-Nusra Front.

M. Ismael