Russia condemns West stance on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has taken a swipe at the West for what he called “political provocation” in face of the Syrian crisis. Lavrov accused Western powers of hindering efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in the volatile state, saying the West is dissuading the opposition from negotiating with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Associated Press quoted Russian sources as saying on Monday. The top Russian diplomat reiterated that the existing violence won't cease if the two sides don't hold dialogue. Russia has recently condemned Western countries of instigating violence and inciting the opponents of al-Assad. Earlier last week, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin warned NATO against any military action against Damascus. Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed in Syria's violence. The Syrian government says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the deadly violence, while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.