GREECE: Members of a Syrian-based opposition group arrive in Greece to gain support for a peaceful political transition in Syria

Record ID: 276332

  • Title: GREECE: Members of a Syrian-based opposition group arrive in Greece to gain support for a peaceful political transition in Syria
  • Date: 9th March 2012
  • Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (MARCH 08, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GREEK FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SYRIAN NATIONAL CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE PRESIDENT HAYTHAM MANNA, VICE PRESIDENT KHALED ISSA AND HEAD OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS RELATIONS AYHAM HADDAD ARRIVING AT FOREIGN MINISTRY MANNA, KHALED ISSA AND HADDAD BEING MET BY GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER STAVROS DIMAS DIMAS WELCO
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece, Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVARU6NKT1XAH956XLXGKSDEV1Y
  • Story Text: Members of the Syrian National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change opposition group arrived in Greece on Thursday (March 8) to gain support for a peaceful political transition to the uprising against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
    The president of the group, Haytham Manna, Vice President Khaled Issa and Head of Foreign Affairs Relations, Ayham Haddad met with Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas at the ministry in Athens to press the Greek government to stand against foreign military intervention in Syria.
    After the meeting, Manna said he sought the support of the government for a peaceful resolution to build a democratic Syria.
    "We are at a crossroads. There is the danger of an armed solution and a pacifist one. And our struggle is for a pacifist translation, transition to democratic and civil state. We try to build a civil and democratic Syria and I think that Greece is one of the countries which will help us in this way and our programme," said Manna outside of the ministry and added "we have to work together in the European Union to have a good position for all the Syrian factions, the opposition and apart. And to support the political solution in Syria."
    The group boycotted the "Friends of Syria" meeting last held in Tunis, complaining of exclusion and saying they feared escalated militarisation.
    Syrian security forces have killed more than 7,500 civilians during the crackdown on pro-democracy protests, according to the United Nations, and the outside world has proved powerless to halt the killing.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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