MONTREUX, Switzerland - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was the main task of the Syria peace conference that opened in Switzerland on Wednesday "to achieve an end to the tragic conflict" and prevent a spillover to other countries in the region.
Lavrov, in his opening remarks, called on "external players" not to meddle in Syria's internal affairs. He said the internal political opposition should be part of a Syrian national dialogue, and that Iran, not present at the talks, should be part of the international dialogue.