MOSCOW (AFP) – A planned peace conference in Geneva to end the conflict in Syria will be put off for a long time “if not forever” if the U.S. goes ahead with military action against the Damascus regime, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Monday.

“If the action announced by the U.S. President (Barack Obama) — to the great regret of all of us — does in fact take place… it will put off the chances of [holding] this conference for a long time, if not forever”, Lavrov said at a news conference with his South African counterpart.