Medvedev opposes irreciprocal condemnation of Syria's Assad

MOSCOW, September 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
opposes condemnation only of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and
believes the world community has to exert pressure on both conflicting
parties.
"We are ready to support various approaches but they should not be
based on irreciprocal condemnation of the government and President
al-Assad. They should give a strict signal to all conflicting parties.
They have to sit down at the negotiating table, agree and stop the
bloodshed," he said in an interview with the Euronews TV channel aired on
Friday.
Medvedev said he had discussed possible sanctions against Syria this
week with the French foreign and defense ministers.
"I believe the resolutions which we adopt to issue a strict message to
the leadership of Syria shall be addressed to both parties because the
situation is not sterile there. Those who demonstrate with anti-government
slogans are not only supporters of refined European democracy. They are
different people and we have to put it bluntly some of them are extremists
and some can even be called terrorists. Therefore we should not idealize
the situation and have to proceed from the balance of forces and
interests," the president said.
Medvedev said Russia does not want the Libyan scenario where NATO
forces interfered to back insurgents to repeat in Syria.
"We see the problems in Syria, we see a disproportionate use of force
and a big number of casualties. (The situation) does not suit us and I
have told President Bashar al-Assad personally about it," Medvedev said.
He added Russia is interested in an early settlement of the situation
in Syria "with which our country has numerous economic and political
contacts."
"The search for possible ways out of the situation will be continued,"
Medvedev said.