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Canada wants Syrian minorities protected
Baird delivers strong warning
By Lee Berthiaume,
Ottawa Citizen
February 25, 2012
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+wants+Syrian+minorities+protected/6207920/story.html
Canada has issued a stern warning to those opposing Syrian President
Bashar Assad's regime that the protection of religious minorities and
good relations with the country's neighbours must be a priority for
any post-Assad government.
The demand, delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird in
Tunisia on Friday, highlights the complex nature of the uprising in
Syria - and the concerns at play as Canada and its allies struggle
with a response to the crisis.
Baird and foreign ministers from the U.S., Britain, Qatar and other
western and Arab countries were in Tunis to discuss ways to end the
violence and to begin a transition to democracy.
The ministers, meeting for the first time as Friends of Syria, called
on the Assad regime to stop its attacks on civilian areas and let in
humanitarian aid - including $1.5 million in assistance announced by
Baird at the conference.
They also indicated a willingness to work with the Syrian National
Council, which has sought to position itself as a legitimate
alternative to Assad's regime, describing it as one legitimate
representative of the Syrian people.
Baird described the meeting in a speech to participants as "an
opportunity to strongly support all those in Syria fighting for
freedom and democracy."
However, the minister added that opponents of Assad's regime must
develop a "clear vision for the post-Assad era," and said "the
protection of religious minorities must be an important part of that
plan."
"The basic rights of every Syrian must be respected," he said. "We
stand ready to help the Syrian people build a new free and democratic
Syria that respects the human rights of all of its people and lives in
peace with its neighbours."
The Assad family is from the minority Alawi sect of Islam, but the
country contains other minority Christian, Shia Muslim and Druze
religious groups which have been left relatively untouched during
Assad's rule.
The majority of the population - and those opposed to the Assad regime
- are Sunni Muslims, and there are fears the minority religious groups
could see their rights limited should the regime fall.
This is what happened in Egypt, where Coptic Christians in particular,
were targeted and killed late last year after Hosni Mubarak stepped
down as president.
[email protected] Twitter.com/leeberthiaume
Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+wants+Syrian+minorities+protected/6207920/story.html#ixzz1noQfdWtm
Baird delivers strong warning
By Lee Berthiaume,
Ottawa Citizen
February 25, 2012
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+wants+Syrian+minorities+protected/6207920/story.html
Canada has issued a stern warning to those opposing Syrian President
Bashar Assad's regime that the protection of religious minorities and
good relations with the country's neighbours must be a priority for
any post-Assad government.
The demand, delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird in
Tunisia on Friday, highlights the complex nature of the uprising in
Syria - and the concerns at play as Canada and its allies struggle
with a response to the crisis.
Baird and foreign ministers from the U.S., Britain, Qatar and other
western and Arab countries were in Tunis to discuss ways to end the
violence and to begin a transition to democracy.
The ministers, meeting for the first time as Friends of Syria, called
on the Assad regime to stop its attacks on civilian areas and let in
humanitarian aid - including $1.5 million in assistance announced by
Baird at the conference.
They also indicated a willingness to work with the Syrian National
Council, which has sought to position itself as a legitimate
alternative to Assad's regime, describing it as one legitimate
representative of the Syrian people.
Baird described the meeting in a speech to participants as "an
opportunity to strongly support all those in Syria fighting for
freedom and democracy."
However, the minister added that opponents of Assad's regime must
develop a "clear vision for the post-Assad era," and said "the
protection of religious minorities must be an important part of that
plan."
"The basic rights of every Syrian must be respected," he said. "We
stand ready to help the Syrian people build a new free and democratic
Syria that respects the human rights of all of its people and lives in
peace with its neighbours."
The Assad family is from the minority Alawi sect of Islam, but the
country contains other minority Christian, Shia Muslim and Druze
religious groups which have been left relatively untouched during
Assad's rule.
The majority of the population - and those opposed to the Assad regime
- are Sunni Muslims, and there are fears the minority religious groups
could see their rights limited should the regime fall.
This is what happened in Egypt, where Coptic Christians in particular,
were targeted and killed late last year after Hosni Mubarak stepped
down as president.
[email protected] Twitter.com/leeberthiaume
Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Canada+wants+Syrian+minorities+protected/6207920/story.html#ixzz1noQfdWtm