MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - The Syrian authorities and opposition have been sent a clear signal about the unacceptability of violence against civilians, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
"The Syrians have been sent a clear and unequivocal signal about the need to stop any kind of violence. It also applies to the opposition, which must enter a dialog with the authorities and rid itself of extremists," he told Interfax on Friday.
"We are deeply convinced that it is unacceptable to encourage the radical forces from the outside, which escalates tensions in Syria," Lukashevich said.
Moscow is alarmed by the reports about deaths among civilians, he said. "Certainly, we are concerned by the situation in Syria and the reports we get from there about people dying, since this country is one of the anchors of Middle Eastern architecture. Its destabilization will have the most difficult consequences for the entire region," the Russian diplomat said.