MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova – The West should support Syrian President Bashar Assad in fighting the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group instead of seeking his resignation if it wants to stop the uncontrolled influx of migrants from Syria, French National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee member Thierry Mariani told Sputnik.
"In order to stop this massive migration, the West must change its policy and choose its enemy: it is impossible to fight the Islamic State (ISIL) in Syria and support the Syrian opposition calling on Assad’s resignation at the same time,” Mariani, who is also a former French transport minister, told Sputnik.
The French lawmaker added that the international community, led by Russia, should help the Syrian government in its fight against ISIL.
"Assad's loss in the battle against terrorists would mean another victory for the Islamic State," Mariani stressed.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with Syrian government forces fighting opposition factions and Islamic extremist groups, including ISIL and the Nusra Front.
Washington and its allies have insisted on Assad's resignation, saying that neither a victory over ISIL, nor any political settlement of the Syrian conflict are possible while he remains in power.
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Russia is providing military aid to the Syrian Army because it believes it to be the only credible force, capable of confronting the ISIL jihadist group, in the country.
US Secretary of State John Kerry announced Sunday that he would meet with the foreign ministers of Russia and Iran to discuss the conflict in Syria within the framework of the UN General Assembly in New York City.
