By Varonica Kharakov from Moscow for Dispatch News Desk news agency
Moscow, Russia: Rex Tillerson is scheduled to arrive in Moscow today (April 11, 2017) for his first meeting in Kremlin after assuming charge as US Secretary of State.
He is scheduled to have meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss consequences of boiling up Syrian situation.
“US has three options to discuss with Lavrov. First option for Russia is to withdraw its support for Assad regime, second is to face more sanctions and third is ready for Russian-US direct conflict if Russia responds second US attack on Syrian installations”, claim US experts for Middle East.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Office is refraining from any comment here in Moscow over this important meeting.
“Tillerson’s arrival to Russia before G7 meeting indicates that US wishes to share possible sanctions G7 is thinking to impose on Russia and telling Kremlin to avoid situation by withdrawing its support to Assad regime. UK wants “very punitive sanctions” against Russia that is already facing sanctions over Ukrainian issue. Sanctions cannot stop Russia backing Assad because Russia would not allow NATO to change another regime in Middle east by manipulating events, distorting facts and by using power”, commented a former diplomat in Moscow on the condition of anonymity.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that Russia does not expect much from the meeting.
While commenting on Tillerson travel to Moscow, she maintained that Russia would listen to the US Secretary of State and would emphasis its (Russian) stance that missile strikes on Syria are unacceptable for Kremlin.
Russian Foreign Office hopes that fruitful negotiations with the Tillerson and said that Russia is counting on productive negotiations.
Moscow is not new for Tillerson as he had been in traveling and living in Moscow as a top oil businessman before assuming his political position of US Secretary of State. He is known as a person who has access to president Putin and can speak fluent Russia
