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Moscow warns NATO on itchy trigger finger in Syria

category international | anti-war / imperialism | other press author Tuesday October 02, 2012 23:37author by pat c

Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov has fired a warning shot across NATOs bows regarding provocations as a pretext for an open military attack on Syria. Full text at link.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called on NATO and Middle East countries not to devise pretexts for military intervention in Syria. Russia has expressed concern that some provocation could occur at the Turkish-Syrian border that may give NATO the green light to intervene in Syria.

"In our contacts with our partners both in NATO and in the region, including on international forums, we have called on them not to look for pretexts in order to carry out a [military] operation," Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told reporters on Tuesday in Moscow. In such a scenario, NATO would be obliged to intervene in the conflict to defend Turkey, a NATO member.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been struggling to maintain its grip on power amid a militant challenge by the political opposition. While many Western countries have disavowed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and taken sides with the rebels, Moscow is calling for both sides of the conflict to accept the Kofi Annan Plan, recognize a ceasefire and enter into peace talks.

Related Link: http://rt.com/politics/moscow-nato-syria-arab-spring-494/

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