US actions in the Euphrates region create an explosive situation around the Kurdish problem, the consequences for the region can be catastrophic, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RIA Novosti.
"The situation on the Eastern Bank of the Euphrates is a cause for concern, where the US military illegally stationed there clearly encourages the separatist tendencies of the Kurds, unfortunately, in fact, inciting the Kurds against the government, hindering the natural desire of the Kurds to start a dialogue with the government. Of course, this raises concerns both from the point of view of the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and from the point of view of the explosive danger that such American actions create around the Kurdish problem," he said.
Lavrov noted that this problem is relevant not only for Syria, but also for Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, and "this is a dangerous game in this region." "Americans are habitually taking this kind of action to create chaos, which they hope will be manageable. They are far away, they don't really care, but the consequences for the region can be disastrous if they promote these separatist tendencies here," the Minister stressed.
Lavrov also criticized the oil deal between the United States and the Syrian Kurds, which, according to him, is a gross violation of international law.
"Recently, the decisions of this illegitimate American group in Eastern Syria were announced, which, together with the Kurdish leaders, signed an agreement that allows the American oil company to extract hydrocarbons on the territory of a sovereign Syrian state – a gross violation of all conceivable principles of international law," Lavrov said.
In late July, US congressional Senator Lindsey Graham said that the Syrian Kurds had signed an agreement with an American company to modernize oil fields in the North-East of the Republic, referring to information received from the commander of the SDF, General Mazlum Kobani. US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo confirmed the existence of such an agreement during a meeting of the Senate foreign relations Committee.
Russia, Turkey and Iran condemned the oil deal between the US company and the Syrian Kurds during consultations on Syria in Geneva. As previously stated by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ankara considers unacceptable the agreement on the modernization of oil fields in the North-East of Syria, concluded between the Kurdish Alliance "Forces of democratic Syria" and the American company Delta Crescent Energy.
The US-backed Arab-Kurdish forces control a number of territories in the provinces of Aleppo, al-Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. In the territories controlled by the Kurds, the government is independent of Damascus. Damascus has repeatedly suggested that the Kurds sit down at the negotiating table and adhere to the idea of national unity and territorial integrity of Syria. The Kurds, in turn, are currently resisting establishing relations with the legitimate Syrian authorities, counting on Washington's support.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken publicly about the Syrian Kurds in a positive way. The President explained the presence of the US military in Syria by the need to control oil fields, the revenues from which go to the Kurds to fight the ISIS*.
(*a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation)