TURKEY: Representatives from Western and Arab powers, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, arrive in Istanbul ahead of the 'Friends of Syria' conference aimed at crafting a solution to the crisis in Syria

Record ID: 280515

  • Title: TURKEY: Representatives from Western and Arab powers, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, arrive in Istanbul ahead of the 'Friends of Syria' conference aimed at crafting a solution to the crisis in Syria
  • Date: 1st April 2012
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (MARCH 31, 2012) (REUTERS) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER GUIDO WESTERWELLE WALKING INSIDE TERMINAL WESTERWELLE GETTING INTO CAR CAR LEAVING FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE WALKING INSIDE TERMINAL JUPPE GETTING INTO CAR CAR LEAVING (NIGHTSHOTS) PLANE CARRYING U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON ON TARMAC CLINTON GETTING OUT OF THE PLANE CAR CARR
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA983ERZXHE6WS2IDMKRDBLJTBJ
  • Story Text: Foreign ministers from Western and Arab countries began to arrive in Istanbul on Saturday night (March 31) ahead of the so-called 'Friends of Syria' meeting on Sunday (April 1).
    Syrians trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad are due to meet their foreign backers with the uprising at a crossroads between a UN-supervised ceasefire and a second year of war.
    The conference is being held in Turkey which provides a safe haven for Syrian rebels.
    The political opposition, however, remains divided and has not yet formally accepted the UN peace plan. Prospects of Western-led military intervention are close to zero.
    Syria says the revolt which began with peaceful anti-Assad rallies in March 2011 is now over, but its army again shelled opposition areas on Saturday, and 26 Syrians were killed in violence across the country.
    Washington and Gulf Arab states urged peace envoy Kofi Annan to set a timeline for "next steps" if there is no ceasefire, and Saudi Arabia repeated a call for rebels to be armed.
    Annan has said neither measure would be helpful. The former U.N. chief's mission has brought no respite in the killings.
    Syria also said it would keep its forces in cities to "maintain security" until it is safe to withdraw in line with the peace deal, which Assad has said he accepts.
    Annan's plan says the army must stop violence immediately and be the first to withdraw forces.
    The "Friends of Syria" conference is expected to seek clear endorsement of the Annan plan from the Syrian National Council (SNC), although Western and Arab governments are themselves sceptical that Assad will genuinely try to implement it.
    It is expected to demand that Assad order a ceasefire without delay and open two-hour daily windows for humanitarian aid.
    It is not expected to recognise the SNC as the sole legitimate government of Syria, or to back arming the rebels, though SNC President Burhan Ghalioun held out hopes that the Free Syrian Army would be given support.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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