The Kurdish problem could explode if the issue of violating Syria's territorial boundaries is not resolved, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told on Monday.
"To play with the territorial integrity of any country is a gross violation of international law. In this particular case it concerns not only Syria but also the Kurdish problem, which may explode so that the current situation will seem much less serious," he said.
According to the minister, the Kurdish problem affects a number of countries in the Middle East. "Invitations to separatism - not just invitations, but active promotion of separatism - could end up very badly. Again, all this is done by a country that [is] far beyond the ocean, and the consequences will be shared by the countries of the region, Europe and, in general, we are very close," Lavrov said.
He also recalled that Russia initiated the development of a concept of security in the Persian Gulf with the participation of all Arab countries, Iran, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, permanent members of the UN Security Council and the European Union. "I hope that the time has come when too many problems have accumulated both in the Persian Gulf and around it, including the Middle East and North Africa as a whole. It's time to sit down and negotiate," he said.
Kurdish formations in the north-east of Syria have been supported by the USA in recent years, Lavrov repeatedly drew attention to this fact. Even after most of the US troops withdrew from Syria, they continued to control some of the oil fields in that country. In September, US Senator Lindsay Graham reported that a US company had directly signed an agreement with the Kurds.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS