MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi that imposing a military solution to the Syrian crisis would only destabilize the country and the Middle East, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

"Lavrov noted that a political and diplomatic settlement in Syria has no alternative, underlining that the attempts of a forcible solution will result only in further destabilization of the situation in the country and the region," the ministry said in an online statement.

The two sides agreed that "at this critical moment" all parties, including foreign players, should "act with absolute responsibility and not repeat mistakes of the past", it added.

The situation over Syria deteriorated gravely due to moves and statements made by several countries recently, noted the ministry.