TURKEY: Syrian National Council executive committee member Samir Nashar expects more massacres to occur in Syria and says Russia has given President Bashar al-Assad political cover for killings in the country

Record ID: 276378

  • Title: TURKEY: Syrian National Council executive committee member Samir Nashar expects more massacres to occur in Syria and says Russia has given President Bashar al-Assad political cover for killings in the country
  • Date: 8th June 2012
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JUNE 7, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER SAMIR NASHAR AND COLLEAGUE SITTING IN HOTEL LOBBY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER SAMIR NASHAR SAYING: "I think the episode of massacres will continue and expand. In previous statements for members of the Syrian National Council
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8Z5VHATLUYY68IQAVI18QNR6T
  • Story Text: A senior Syrian opposition figure said he expects pro-government forces will carry out more massacres in the country to try and push the country into civil war.
    Syrian National Council executive committee member Samir Nashar was speaking in Istanbul on Thursday (June 7) a day after a new massacre was reported to have taken place in Syria.
    Damascus strongly denies responsibility for the massacres, instead blaming armed elements of the opposition seeking to topple the ruling Baath Party establishment of President Bashar al-Assad.
    "I think the episode of massacres will continue and expand. In previous statements for members of the Syrian National Council, they have warned that Bashar al-Assad's policies through these massacres want to drag Syria into a civil war. Bashar al-Assad is determined through these killings into pushing Syria into a sectarian war," said Nashar.
    Syria's opposition, which calls for a democratic system to replace the Assad dynasty four decade grip on power, has largely blamed Russia for vetoing condemnation of Assad at the Security Council.
    "The Russian veto has not succeeded in bringing about the efforts to stop the policies of Bashar al-Assad. If it was beneficial then the killings and massacres would have stopped. What we can see is that Bashar al-Assad is benefiting from more time and the Russian veto which gives him political cover to continue these killings and massacres to try and end the Syrian revolution," he said.
    "The Russian veto hinders, in our opinion, the Security Council taking an international position. The United States of America and the world which supports Syrian freedom to take action outside the Security Council if they had the will, but it appears that they still don't have the will," he added.
    China and regional power Iran have also defended Damascus and have repeatedly argued there should be no international intervention.
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