00:59Switzerland: Ceasefire with militants in Idlib would mean ‘surrendering to terrorists’ – Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected calls for a ceasefire between the Syrian government troops and militants in the Idlib region, speaking at the 43rd conference of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
"The international community and the Human Rights Council are required to block extremists who have raised their heads," Lavrov said.
"Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the statements about the possibility of concluding armistice agreements with the militants, as happens when discussing the situation in Idlib. This is not a concern for human rights, but surrendering to terrorists, or even encouraging their activities - a gross violation of universal conventions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions," he added.
On Monday state-owned Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the government forces had advanced further into the Idlib countryside, taking over four new villages from the militants.
00:59Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected calls for a ceasefire between the Syrian government troops and militants in the Idlib region, speaking at the 43rd conference of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
"The international community and the Human Rights Council are required to block extremists who have raised their heads," Lavrov said.
"Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the statements about the possibility of concluding armistice agreements with the militants, as happens when discussing the situation in Idlib. This is not a concern for human rights, but surrendering to terrorists, or even encouraging their activities - a gross violation of universal conventions and numerous UN Security Council resolutions," he added.
On Monday state-owned Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the government forces had advanced further into the Idlib countryside, taking over four new villages from the militants.