Russia criticizes US for refusing to condemn Russian embassy attack in Damascus
Russia criticized the United States on Wednesday for refusing to support the statement of the United Nations Security Council condemning the terrorist attack against the Russian Embassy in Damascus.
“Unfortunately our American colleagues, who are interested in whether we are fighting terrorism, refused to support it (the statement) in the wording which described the incident as a terrorist attack,” Russia Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Duma, or lower house of parliament.
Lavrov stressed that the U.S. proposed instead to write that «we condemn the attack and affirm that responsibility for the security of embassies and consulates are covered by the host party», referring to the Syrian government.
“It is sad that our American colleagues in this case in fact do not side with those who fight against terrorism and condemn terror.
“Once again we have to speak about double standards,” Lavrov added.
Lavrov stressed that the Security Council of the U.N. “always” issued statements condemning “this kind of attacks (…), wherever they take place.”
The Russian embassy in Damascus came under mortar shelling on Tuesday morning.
The embassy’s residential quarters was hit by two shells.
No one was killed or wounded.
Lavrov also mentioned that Washington rejected the proposal of Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a bilateral meeting at the highest political and military levels to coordinate positions in the fight against terrorism and the settlement of the conflict in Syria.
According to Lavrov, the U.S. said it is only willing to coordinate with Russia to take steps to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace.
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