SAUDI ARABIA: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi voices reservations over the Arab League's decision to impose sanctions on Syria

Record ID: 188892

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi voices reservations over the Arab League's decision to impose sanctions on Syria
  • Date: 1st December 2011
  • Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (NOVEMBER 30, 2011) (REUTERS) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI AKBAR SALEHI GREETS THE TAJIKISTAN FOREIGN MINSTER WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CURRENT OIC SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ALI AKBAR SALEHI, SAYING (APPROXIMATE TRANSLATION): "They (Arab League) should give them (Syria) time. They (Syria) have announced they will hold elections in the coming month of February, within 3 months, and they have announced that they will form a committee to review the constitution, let them review the constitution and see what happens after a review of the constitution." OIC MEETING ATTENDANTS LISTENING TO SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ALI AKBAR SALEHI, SAYING (APPROXIMATE TRANSLATION): "We declared a reservation on two points, one of the items indicates that the fighting in Syria is one-sided and that means that the fighting is not between two parties, but all sides have to stop fighting." TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU WALKING OUT AT THE END OF OIC MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ALI AKBAR SALEHI, SAYING (APPROXIMATE TRANSLATION): "The Syrians are to implement some decisions, the Syrian government announced its willingness to consider and respond to the requirements of the people." TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER AHMET DAVUTOGLU LEAVING CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ALI AKBAR SALEHI, (RESPONDING TO REPORTER WHO ASKED: WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BRITISH EMBASSY?", SAYING (APPROXIMATE TRANSLATION) : "We are sorry for what happened in Britain."
  • Embargoed: 16th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8DDFETH5STJ9BMN0OSKJ1UISD
  • Story Text: The Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Wednesday (November 30) voiced reservations over the Arab League's decision to impose sanctions on Syria following eight months of unrest and a violent crackdown by government forces.
    Salehi made the comments at the end of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference in the Red Sea City of Jeddah.
    "They (Arab League) should give them (Syria) time. They (Syria) have announced they will hold elections in the coming month of February, within 3 months, and they have announced that they will form a committee to review the constitution, let them review the constitution and see what happens after a review of the constitution," Salehi told reporters.
    The Iranian foreign minister said the Syrian government should be given time to implement some changes that demonstrators are calling for.
    "We declared a reservation on two points, one of the items indicates that the fighting in Syria is one-sided and that means that the fighting is not between two parties, but all sides have to stop fighting," said Salehi, adding:
    "The Syrians are to implement some decisions, the Syrian government announced its willingness to consider and respond to the requirements of the people."
    Salehi spoke to journalists in Arabic. When asked about what he had to say of the attack on Tuesday, in which a crowd ransacked offices and burned British flags in a protest over sanctions imposed by Britain on Tehran.
    Salehi responded: "We are sorry for what happened in Britain."
    Possibly referring to Britain's decision to shut Iran's embassy in London and to expel all its staff.
    The OIC, the world's largest Islamic body, urged Syria on Wednesday to "immediately stop the use of excessive force" against its citizens to avert the threat of foreign intervention. The OIC called on Damascus to quickly enter into a dialogue with its opponents and rejected foreign intervention in Syria.
    Syrian security forces have been using lethal force to crack down on demonstrations that began in March against 41 years of rule by Bashar al-Assad's family. Assad says his forces are confronting saboteurs inspired by foreign powers.
    A technical committee of the Arab League is scheduled to meet in the Qatari capital Doha on Saturday (December 03) to discuss and announce what sanctions will be imposed on Damascus.
    Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem left after the end of the meeting on Wednesday without speaking to journalists.
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