MOSCOW. April 5 (Interfax) - Russia can see no need for any more statement on Syria by the UN Security Council president at this point now that UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has had his conflict settlement plan put into action, a Russian deputy foreign minister argued on Wednesday.
"After the president of the UN Security Council has issued his statement in support of Kofi Annan's efforts in Syria, we believe that trying to artificially rush this process would be of little help in putting Annan's plan into practice. We can't accept any ultimatums," Gennady Gatilov told Interfax.
He was commenting on statements in which American and other Western officials insisted that the president of the UN Security Council issue a new statement at the earliest opportunity with a strong demand that the Syria government withdraw all its troops from cities.
"In principle, we believe there's no need for any decision on the part of the Security Council. Kofi Annan is continuing his efforts, the Syrian side has begun to withdraw its troops from the cities. At the moment the main point is that all the parties should comply with Annan's proposals," Gatilov said.
He said Western countries had drawn up such a statement, and that expert-level work is underway on the draft in New York.
Gatilov explained that draft statements by the Security Council president usually need consensus-based approval.