Ambassador Koren: Israel doubts Syrian territorial integrity can be preserved

Sputnik
Thu, 19 Jan 2017 14:12 UTC

© Sputnik/Vitally Belousov

Israeli Ambassador to Russia Gary Koren

Israel doubts that it will be possible to preserve Syria's territorial integrity, Israeli ambassador to Russia Gary Koren told Sputnik. "We are not against Syria being a free and democratic country, but how possible is it? It is probably not. We doubt that it is possible to preserve Syria's integrity, but it is up to them to decide," Koren said.

Israel is not intervening in the Syrian conflict because it understands that such intervention will yield no positive results, Israeli Ambassador to Russia said. "Israel is not interfering in the war in Syria because we understand that our intervention will not yield any positive result. If conditions arise that will need our military involvement, it will only complicate the situation for all, and we would not want that. The existing status quo is terrible in terms of the humanitarian situation, therefore we support any attempt that could help stopping the bloodshed," Koren said.

Israel doubts that next Monday's anticipated talks on the Syrian crisis in the Kazakh capital of Astana will prove successful, Gary Koren said, advocating for Tel Aviv's territorial interests. "We have informed Russia and other stakeholders that it does not matter what the adopted agreements are, it is important that Israeli interests, including the Golan Heights issue, are also taken into account," Koren said Thursday.

Koren said Israel wants Russia to succeed in its peacekeeping efforts in Syria, including the upcoming Astana talks, but said "we have certain doubts." "They do not concern Russian steps, but have to do with the actions and objectives of Russia's partners, in particular Iran," the envoy stressed, underscoring the possibility of Moscow's and Tehran's divergent interests in Syria.

Comment: More of the same from Israel. Its interests are always front and center. Koren's opinion, be it his or one that was given him, is an unnecessary spoiler to the upcoming Astana talks. It is a tactic to achieve what it wants, a political nudge (cloaked threat) to drive a wedge.