Russia slams US 'deal of century'

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump's "deal of the century" jeopardizes the international legal basis of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict resolution, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday.

Lavrov voiced concern about the plan for solving the conflict could destroy "everything that has been done to create the foundations for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement.”

"We are also concerned about the attacks on the Arab peace initiative, which was once proposed by Saudi Arabia and supported by all members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” he said at a news conference in Kuwait after a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah. “From this, too, if the rumors that reach us are true, they want to move away now.”

Turning his attention to other matters, Lavrov accused Washington of preventing refugees from leaving the al-Rukban camp in southeast Syria. "Holding people as hostages" leads to "an unpleasant thought that this refugee camp is used by the U.S. to justify their illegal military presence in Syria.

"Together with other points, this fits into the line in which many are beginning to suspect the U.S. that they are going to create a quasi-state on the eastern bank of the Euphrates," he said.

Thousands of Syrians continue to suffer from appalling conditions in the camp in the desert of Syria's border with Jordan.

The camp hosts 40,000 Syrians struggling in makeshift tents and muddy shelters.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported growing numbers of casualties at the camp due to starvation, disease and lack of medicine.