TURKEY: Turkey announces it will host a 'Friends of Syria' meeting on April 2 and United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan appeals for an end of violence from Assad's regime

Record ID: 217556

  • Title: TURKEY: Turkey announces it will host a 'Friends of Syria' meeting on April 2 and United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan appeals for an end of violence from Assad's regime
  • Date: 14th March 2012
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (MARCH 13, 2012) (REUTERS) UN ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY KOFI ANNAN HOLDING A NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) UN ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY KOFI ANNAN SAYING: "I am expecting to hear from the Syrian authorities today since I left some concrete proposals for them to consider. Once I receive their answer we will know how to react. But let me say t
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVABQX7EOVVVO97QB7ZEETXRDJD9
  • Story Text: Turkey plans to host a meeting of "Friends of Syria", grouping mostly Arab and Western governments, on April 2 to find ways to pressure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad into halting a brutal crackdown on unrest, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday (March 13).
    "We have stressed that the Syrian regime should not exploit Mr. Annan's mission. We are working out on the meeting of 'Friends of Syria' which will be held in Istanbul on April 2, hopefully. We continue to hold intense talks with Arab League and members states of United Nations as well as other sides," Erdogan told parliamentarians from the ruling AK Party.
    More than 50 countries were represented at the first meeting of foreign ministers from the group in Tunis in late February.
    During the Tunis meeting, Arab League countries Saudi Arabia and Qatar advocated arming rebel soldiers, while Qatar also said an Arab peacekeeping force should be set up to protect people from Assad's forces.
    Erdogan made the announcement a day after meeting U.N.-Arab League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan in Ankara, following the envoy's visit to Damascus over the weekend for talks with Assad.
    He also reiterated Turkey's expectations from U.N.- Arab League envoy.
    "We have told (UN Envoy Kofi Annan) that we fully support his mission. We have also told him that international community must work together to ensure that violence in Syria must immediately come to an end, humanitarian aid is delivered to people of Syria, Syrian army should withdraw from the cities and the conditions to pave way for a political transition are maintained," Erdogan said.
    Annan met Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu late on Monday to discuss the crisis threatening to tip Turkey's southern neighbour into civil war.
    U.N.-Arab League envoy Annan said on Tuesday he was expecting a reply from the Syrian government on "concrete proposals" which he made to end the violence during his weekend talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
    "I am expecting to hear from the Syrian authorities today since I left some concrete proposals for them to consider. Once I receive their answer we will know how to react. But let me say the killing and violence must cease. The Syrian people have gone through a lot and they deserve better," Annan told a news conference after meeting members of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) in Ankara.
    Annan has not disclosed what his proposals entailed but he also said that Syrian opposition pledged to cooperate with United Nations to resolve the current crisis by peaceful means.
    "And I also had a chance this morning to meet with Dr. Ghalioun of the Syrian National Council. It was a useful meeting, we had constructive discussions as to my approach and how the future development of the process will be and they have also promised their full cooperation which will be necessary if we are going to succeed," Annan said.
    Syria's ambassador to Moscow said on Monday (March 12) that the discussion between Assad and Annan had echoed 'five principles' for a Syrian settlement agreed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Arab League foreign ministers.
    Russia and the Arab ministers meeting in Cairo on Saturday agreed on five points, namely the need to end violence "from any source", the need for unbiased monitoring, opposition to foreign intervention, delivering humanitarian aid and supporting Annan's mission.
    Speaking after meeting Annan, SNC leader Burhan Ghalioun said the aim was for a political and diplomatic solution, otherwise foreign governments would deliver on promises to supply weapons to rebel forces.
    "Some states have promised weapons but the real aim now is a political and diplomatic solution," he said. "But if this does not come about those states will provide that help," Ghallioun said.
    A popular uprising against Assad erupted a year ago. The United Nations estimates Syrian security forces have killed well over 7,500 people. Syria said in December that "terrorists" had killed more than 2,000 soldiers and police.
    A popular uprising against Assad erupted a year ago. The United Nations estimates Syrian security forces have killed well over 7,500 people. Syria said in December that "terrorists" had killed more than 2,000 soldiers and police.
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