VARIOUS: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe slams Syria over attacks on French and U.S. embassies in Damascus and admits contacts with Gaddafi regime

Record ID: 278746

  • Title: VARIOUS: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe slams Syria over attacks on French and U.S. embassies in Damascus and admits contacts with Gaddafi regime
  • Date: 13th July 2011
  • Summary: NEAR KAWALISH, LIBYA (JULY 12, 2011) (REUTERS) DESTROYED TANK
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic, France, Libya
  • City:
  • Country: Syrian Arab Republic France Libya
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA6SBPYCAHOY2XPV5G438T3YC6I
  • Story Text: French foreign minister Alain Juppe on Tuesday (July 12) slammed Syria for failing to protect France's embassy in Damascus from protesting crowds and said that his government was in contact with emissaries from Muammar Gaddafi's regime.
    "Every government, I repeat this, must ensure the security of the embassies and diplomatic representations and we call on the Syrian authorities to do this," Juppe told France Info radio.
    He called on Gaddafi to stand down, saying that nothing else than the return of troops to their barracks and a commitment by the Libyan leader to stand down would ensure a ceasefire.
    Juppe said Gaddafi's regime was sending emissaries to discuss his stepping down, but said they weren't real negotiations.
    "The Libyan government sends messengers everywhere: to Turkey, New York, to Paris. There are indeed contacts. As things stand these are not genuine negotiations but we receive emissaries who say: 'Gaddafi is ready to leave', let's discuss," he said.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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