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.
Sincethe beginning of the Syrian crisis, Russia has repeatedly spoke at the UN Security Council about "the impermissibility of use by armed elements of the disengagement zone patrolled by the UN for their training camps, illegal arms trade or offensives on the Syrian army," Lukashevich said.
Such actions significantly complicate fulfillment of the UN mission and present a serious risk to their lives, he said.
"Being the UN Security Council president this month, Russia has initiated the demand of the immediately release of UN peacekeepers by the Syrian militants," the diplomat said.
Russia will continue to make efforts towards security of the UN personnel on the peacekeeping mission in the Golan Height, Lukashevich said.