ASTANA. June 8 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is not sure that Moscow's initiative for a large-scale conference on Syria will get everyone's approval, but he has pledged to do whatever its takes to secure maximum support.
"This is a difficult situation. I am not sure that everyone will support our initiative, but what is certain is that we are convinced that this approach is necessary. We will do everything to make outside players heed it," Lavrov told reporters in Astana on Thursday.
If the response is negative and the state is on the formats that do not unite all those on whom the resolution of the Syrian crisis depends, "that will not be our fault", he said.
Russia has discussed the initiative with China. "This has just happened today. We felt our Chinese partners' support. We had a preliminary discussion without going into details when President Vladimir Putin was in France, and during his today's meeting with the Iranian president. It seems that the response has been positive," Lavrov said.
"What's important is that we have not got this idea 'thrown over the bridge' amidst statements by various countries that one must not sit down for talks with those who encourage the bloodshed".
One has to choose: "either to bring all those on whom at least something depends to the negotiating table" or recede into the sphere of ideological approaches and "make unceremonious statements that the regime is entirely to blame, while all the rest are angels and therefore the regime must be changed", the Russian minister said.