TURKEY/FILE: Opposition Syrian National Council welcomes coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats by Western governments

Record ID: 280897

  • Title: TURKEY/FILE: Opposition Syrian National Council welcomes coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats by Western governments
  • Date: 30th May 2012
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (MAY 29, 2012) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ADIB SHISHAKLY, MEMBER OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL, SAYING: "I think this a announcement today by several European countries, it's a preparation for the next Friends of Syria conference that's gonna be held in the beginning of July as President, French president announced today. So hopefully this conference w
  • Embargoed: 14th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACEV0A5BR7G1UNR307WZNAKB8N
  • Story Text: The Syrian National Council (SNC) welcomed the coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats on Tuesday (May 29).
    Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States announced the expulsions after consultations with each other on what they called unacceptable levels of violence.
    The Netherlands declared Syria's ambassador - who lives in Brussels and also represents Damascus in Belgium - to be persona non grata.
    "We just received the news about Italy, France and Germany expelling the representative of the Syrian regime. This is a very good step. Hopefully it will be beginning of further step in coming days. We got the news from the opposition and from the inside that this is a little bit late. But I say better late than never. So this is a very good start," said SNC member Adib Shishakly.
    Speaking from Istanbul, Shishakly also said he hopes for more recognition of the SNC.
    "I think this a announcement today by several European countries, it's a preparation for the next Friends of Syria conference that's gonna be held in the beginning of July as President, French president announced today. So hopefully this conference will make its decision to have the SNC as the sole representative of the Syrian people."
    This concerted action marked a new phase in the international effort to halt the repression of a 14-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and to force him to relinquish power.
    The immediate catalyst was Friday's massacre in Houla, including women and children, although the international community is increasingly frustrated at the failure of a U.N.-brokered peace plan to end the bloodshed in Syria.
    "The whole international community did not succeed in protecting the civilians. That was our first aim as an SNC and we have been telling them from day one, this regime, we know it well, it won't stop until international community will take further measures, and harsher measures. It could be military intervention, it can be safe zone. This is up for the international community to decide," Shishakly said.
    Some governments told the diplomats to leave immediately, others gave them up to seven days to pack their bags.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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