MOSCOW. March 7 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry condemns the holding of UN peacekeepers by Syrian militants in the Golan Heights and demands an end to the mounting provocations of militants against the "blue helmets."
"We strongly condemn the holding of UN peacekeepers and demand their immediate and unconditional release. All countries must fully comply with the terms of the agreement of May 31, 1974, and prevent violations of the ceasefire regime in the disengagement in the Golan Heights," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. The statement was published on the ministry website.
"Provocations of militants against UN peacekeepers have been mounting. A UN convoy came under fire on its way to the Damascus airport in November 2012 and an UNDOF patrol was seized near the Jordanian border in January 2013. The latest incident was kind of a culmination of the illegal actions. Such practices must be stopped firmly," the ministry stressed.