Syrian opposition should welcome Aleppo offensive as it targets militants - Russia

GENEVA (Reuters) - A senior Russian diplomat said on Friday Syrian opposition envoys who attended U.N.-mediated peace talks this week should have welcomed a government offensive because it targeted Islamist militants, rather than walk out of the parley. The United Nations on Wednesday shelved the first peace talks in two years, halting an effort that seemed doomed from the onset as fighting raged on unabated. Washington said on Thursday it was hopeful talks would resume by the end of the month, and Russia said it expected that no later than Feb. 25. "Why did the opposition that left Geneva complain about the offensive in Aleppo, which is actually targeted against Jabhat al-Nusra and other radical extremist groups?" said Alexey Borodavkin, Moscow's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva. Nusra Front, as the militant group is known in English, is affiliated to al Qaeda and designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, and therefore banned from the peace talks, along with Islamic State insurgents. "The opposition should be happy that terrorists are defeated. But, on the contrary, they were disappointed and left negotiations," Borodavkin said. Borodavkin also said it was regrettable that U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura had suspended the talks and he must be "more meticulous" about deciding whom to include for the next round. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Mark Heinrich)