- Title: FRANCE/FILE: French authorites concerned about more Damascus embassy attacks
- Date: 12th July 2011
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JULY 11, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY SIGN READING "MINISTRY OF EUROPEAN AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS" MAN LEAVING FOREIGN MINISTRY FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BERNARD VALERO BERNARD VALERO TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BERNARD VALERO, SAYING: "Over all we are concerned by the lack of resp
- Embargoed: 27th July 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Syrian Arab Republic, France
- City:
- Country: Syrian Arab Republic France
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5UWGJCSE2UFXQFZVHJ65RD7E6
- Story Text: France said they were worried on Monday (July 11) about new attacks on their diplomatic buildings in the Syrian capital Damascus.
Several loyalists of President Bashar al-Assad broke into the U.S. embassy in Damascus on Monday and security guards used live ammunition to prevent hundreds from storming the French embassy, diplomats said.
They tore down U.S. embassy plaques and tried to break security glass, diplomats said, in an escalation of protests against a visit by U.S. and French ambassadors to the city of Hama, focus of demonstrations against Assad's rule.
French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said the Syrian authorities had done nothing to stop the assault on its embassy.
"Over all we are concerned by the lack of respect by the Syrian authorities of their international commitments. To be concrete, there is an international convention whose name is Vienna convention which is not and repeatedly not respected by the Syrian authorities because they have the obligation to protect to give security to the diplomats posted in Damascus, to ensure the security of our diplomatic mission, buildings and so on. And what we have watched twice in two days is that they don't comply with this obligation."
France has led Western attempts to pass a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Syria's hierarchy for cracking down on protesters. It says the president has lost his legitimacy because of the number of killings to try to quell protests demanding political freedoms after 41 years of Assad family rule.
The United States condemned Syria for "refusing" to protect the embassy from an assault it said had been encouraged by a pro-government television station.
No casualties were reported in the attacks.
Human rights groups say at least 1,400 civilians have been killed since an uprising began in March against Assad's autocratic rule, posing the biggest threat to his leadership since he succeeded his father 11 years ago.
Assad loyalists also attempted to attack the U.S. ambassador's residence in Damascus on Monday after assaulting the embassy compound but failed to gain entry.
Asked about the talks France has had with other foreign partners regarding the violence in Damascus and the attacks on the foreign representations, Bernard Valero confirmed the talks.
"We are in contact with our American partners as we are in permanent contact also with our European partners and of course we are in a permanent process of exchange of informations and consultations. In these circumstances, it's very important to walk very closely, it's exactly what we are doing among many others with Americans."
In other violence on Monday, Syrian forces killed one civilian and wounded 20 in heavy-machinegun fire on Homs, Syria's third city, and went house-to-house arresting suspected opponents in Hama, human rights activists said.
Despite using military assaults in towns and cities to try to crush the protests, Assad has called for talks on reforms. But the opposition refused to attend a two-day conference this week in the capital, saying it was futile as long as violence continued. Mostly Assad supporters were taking part. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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