Russia's UN Envoy Dismisses Accusations of Moscow Disrupting Syria Talks

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said that "those who support terrorists" were to blame for the stalled intra-Syrian talks.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Accusations that Russia was behind delaying the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva are made in bad taste, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Friday.

On Wednesday, US State Department spokesman John Kirby said Russia was "in part" to blame for talks between Syrian government and opposition forces being postponed until February 25.

"It is in bad taste. Now is not the time for mutual recriminations. We need to step up joint political efforts," Churkin said in response to the accusations.

A Saudi-backed opposition group walked out of the negotiations in Geneva on Wednesday, after which UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura announced the intra-Syrian talks were put on a three-week pause.

Churkin stressed that "those who support terrorists" were to blame for the stalled talks and said the "Russian escalation" was in fact the Syrian government forces’ increased counter-terrorism efforts.

"Some besieged areas have been liberated in recent days," the Russian envoy reaffirmed.

De Mistura said on Wednesday multiple issues, including securing access for humanitarian aid deliveries to besieged areas, made progress in the Syrian negotiations impossible.