FRANCE: Paris recalls its ambassador from Syria for consultations as western countries step up pressure on Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to step down

Record ID: 280571

  • Title: FRANCE: Paris recalls its ambassador from Syria for consultations as western countries step up pressure on Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to step down
  • Date: 8th February 2012
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FEBRUARY 7, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY JOURNALISTS FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BERNARD VALERO AT NEWS BRIEFING VALERO'S HANDS VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS SIGN FOR FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BERNARD VALERO AT HIS DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN BERNARD VALERO SA
  • Embargoed: 23rd February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France, France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADTSU2KUCYZSZUWLSUXIFAAKYO
  • Story Text: France recalled its ambassador from Syria on Tuesday (February 7) for consultations over the violent government crackdown against opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, the spokesman for the French foreign ministry said.
    "In front of the continuation of the violence and the repression in Syria the French authorities have taken the decision to recall for consultations our ambassador in Damas. o it will be an opportunity for us to analyse with him the dramatic evolution of the situation first, and second it's a message we are also sending to the regime of Damas to express our condemnation of what is going on on the ground," said Bernard Valero.
    The United States shut its embassy and said all staff had left Syria due to worsening security in the country, which has also been hit by suicide bombings in Damascus.
    France, Italy, Britain, Belgium and Spain recalled their ambassadors from Syria. Japan said it was considering reducing the number of its diplomatic staff in Damascus.
    France was in favour of a U.N. Security Council resolution which would have backed an Arab League plan for Assad to give up powers but was vetoed on Saturday by Russia and China.
    A chorus of European officials condemned Russia and China over their veto in terms unusually harsh by diplomatic norms and said they would bear responsibility for future bloodshed.
    "We are also going to continue working very closely with the opposition, with the Syrian opposition in order to support them, in order to encourage them to unify and to work out a political and democratic platform where all the currents (parties) of the opposition could meet in order to stop the violence and prepare the future of the country. So the resolution was not adopted a few days ago in New York but we consider and we observe that the violence continue, that the number of people killed keeps growing, increasing, and we are determined to support the efforts of the Arab League," Valero said.
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