Russia denies involvement in plot to oust Syrian President

Russian Foreign ministry on Monday denied that Russia is in agreement with the United States and Saudi Arabia to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"We are not engaged in social engineering, nor do we appoint or dismiss foreign presidents either by ourselves or in conspiracy with someone else. This applies to Syria as well as other countries in the region, of which the peoples, I'm convinced, are capable of deciding their own destiny," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

The statement declared that rumors about the trilateral agreement were spread by "some European, in particular Francophone, media," without identifying the specific source.

Zakharova claimed after disseminating lies, some Western politicians might attempt to shift to Russia part of responsibility for the tragedy in the Middle East and for the follow-up threats to European and international stability.

"Flagrant interference in the domestic affairs of Middle East countries has led to the instability proximate to European continent, as well as the increased terrorist and extremist threat," Zakharova stressed.

A growing number of people in Middle East and North African countries have been seeking to escape wars and terrorism at home and chosen European countries as their destination, leading to a severe refugee crisis in the European continent. Endit