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Associated Press Online
March 8, 2012 Thursday 2:22 PM GMT
Turkey opposes military intervention in Syria
TUNIS Tunisia
The presidents of Turkey and Tunisia say they are opposed to outside
military intervention in Syria, urging a diplomatic settlement to the
bloodshed instead.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul says regional powers should try and
find a solution for the crisis.
Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, has been calling for an
end to a crackdown by Syria's government troops, and is set to host a
diplomatic conference on Syria's future.
At Gul's side after meeting Thursday, Tunisia's President Moncef
Marzouki said, "arming insurgents and foreign intervention would only
complicate the situation."
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further
information. AP's earlier story is below.
LONDON (AP) Russia and China are paying "a diplomatic price" across
the Arab world for their opposition to international action against
Syria's ruling regime, Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said
Thursday.
China and Russia have already vetoed two United Nations resolutions
condemning the Syrian government's bloody crackdown and calling for
President Bashar Assad to step down.
Members of the U.N. Security Council began discussions this week over
a possible new resolution, though it's unclear whether alternative
language in the latest draft would be sufficient for the two nations
to drop their objections.
"While we should not be starry-eyed about this, it's certainly true
that China and Russia are paying a diplomatic price for the position
that they have taken," Hague told Parliament's Foreign Affairs select
committee. "Throughout the Arab world they are paying that price
particularly in the opinion of the people of many Arab nations."
Hague said nations at the U.N. must continue to work on agreeing to "a
meaningful resolution" that supports the work of the joint U.N.-Arab
League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.
"If our view is correct that the Assad regime cannot recover its
credibility internationally, or internally after spilling so much
blood and that one way or another it is doomed, then it is in the
national interest of Russia and China to support a political
transition at some stage," Hague said.
Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday dismissed Western hopes for a
shift in its stance as "wishful thinking," while China on Thursday
said its special envoy had held talks with Syria's foreign minister
and opposition figures during a visit to the country. Li Huaxin
reiterated Beijing's belief that the Syrian crisis could be settled
peacefully through dialogue.
Hague told legislators that Britain may be prepared to offer equipment
to Syria's opposition, but said there were concerns over whether it
would be possible to deliver items into Syria and fears they could end
up in the hand of extremists.
"We can help and we will continue offer help to peaceful Syrian
opposition groups," he said. "I don't rule out giving more nonlethal
help."
Hague acknowledged it could be possible to replicate the aid that had
been offered to Libya's rebel forces where Britain supplied body armor
and communications equipment.
However, he said worries that al-Qaida-linked extremists were
operating inside Syria could pose a challenge.
"That is a consideration in trying to provide practical assistance," he said.
In Athens, Greece's Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas met with Syrian
opposition representatives to discuss a peaceful end to the country's
yearlong uprising. A representative from the Coordination Committee
for Democratic Change, one of the Syria's two main opposition groups,
said his group is committed to a non-violent transition to democracy.
Separately, Turkey's president said France would be invited to an
upcoming diplomatic conference on Syria despite a diplomatic dispute
over mass killings of Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul during a visit to Tunisia that he wants
"the largest possible participation" in the next so-called Friends of
Syria conference.
Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, and France, Syria's
former colonial ruler, have been calling for stronger world action on
Syria. But Turkish-French relations have stalled over a French law
making it a crime to deny that mass killings of Armenians in 1915
constituted genocide.
March 8, 2012 Thursday 2:22 PM GMT
Turkey opposes military intervention in Syria
TUNIS Tunisia
The presidents of Turkey and Tunisia say they are opposed to outside
military intervention in Syria, urging a diplomatic settlement to the
bloodshed instead.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul says regional powers should try and
find a solution for the crisis.
Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, has been calling for an
end to a crackdown by Syria's government troops, and is set to host a
diplomatic conference on Syria's future.
At Gul's side after meeting Thursday, Tunisia's President Moncef
Marzouki said, "arming insurgents and foreign intervention would only
complicate the situation."
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further
information. AP's earlier story is below.
LONDON (AP) Russia and China are paying "a diplomatic price" across
the Arab world for their opposition to international action against
Syria's ruling regime, Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said
Thursday.
China and Russia have already vetoed two United Nations resolutions
condemning the Syrian government's bloody crackdown and calling for
President Bashar Assad to step down.
Members of the U.N. Security Council began discussions this week over
a possible new resolution, though it's unclear whether alternative
language in the latest draft would be sufficient for the two nations
to drop their objections.
"While we should not be starry-eyed about this, it's certainly true
that China and Russia are paying a diplomatic price for the position
that they have taken," Hague told Parliament's Foreign Affairs select
committee. "Throughout the Arab world they are paying that price
particularly in the opinion of the people of many Arab nations."
Hague said nations at the U.N. must continue to work on agreeing to "a
meaningful resolution" that supports the work of the joint U.N.-Arab
League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.
"If our view is correct that the Assad regime cannot recover its
credibility internationally, or internally after spilling so much
blood and that one way or another it is doomed, then it is in the
national interest of Russia and China to support a political
transition at some stage," Hague said.
Russia's foreign ministry on Tuesday dismissed Western hopes for a
shift in its stance as "wishful thinking," while China on Thursday
said its special envoy had held talks with Syria's foreign minister
and opposition figures during a visit to the country. Li Huaxin
reiterated Beijing's belief that the Syrian crisis could be settled
peacefully through dialogue.
Hague told legislators that Britain may be prepared to offer equipment
to Syria's opposition, but said there were concerns over whether it
would be possible to deliver items into Syria and fears they could end
up in the hand of extremists.
"We can help and we will continue offer help to peaceful Syrian
opposition groups," he said. "I don't rule out giving more nonlethal
help."
Hague acknowledged it could be possible to replicate the aid that had
been offered to Libya's rebel forces where Britain supplied body armor
and communications equipment.
However, he said worries that al-Qaida-linked extremists were
operating inside Syria could pose a challenge.
"That is a consideration in trying to provide practical assistance," he said.
In Athens, Greece's Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas met with Syrian
opposition representatives to discuss a peaceful end to the country's
yearlong uprising. A representative from the Coordination Committee
for Democratic Change, one of the Syria's two main opposition groups,
said his group is committed to a non-violent transition to democracy.
Separately, Turkey's president said France would be invited to an
upcoming diplomatic conference on Syria despite a diplomatic dispute
over mass killings of Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul during a visit to Tunisia that he wants
"the largest possible participation" in the next so-called Friends of
Syria conference.
Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, and France, Syria's
former colonial ruler, have been calling for stronger world action on
Syria. But Turkish-French relations have stalled over a French law
making it a crime to deny that mass killings of Armenians in 1915
constituted genocide.