SYRIA: A Syrian government official tells Reuters the world powers' plan agreed upon in Geneva can play no role in resolving the conflict in Syria

Record ID: 281202

  • Title: SYRIA: A Syrian government official tells Reuters the world powers' plan agreed upon in Geneva can play no role in resolving the conflict in Syria
  • Date: 2nd July 2012
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (JULY 1, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SYRIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDING SYRIAN GOVERNMENT SYMBOL PARLIAMENT SYRIAN FLAG SYRIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT KHALED AL-ABBOUD WALKING ABBOUD TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT KHALED AL-ABBOUD, SAYING: "The Geneva meeting does not concern Syrians. This meeting is on an international stage where in
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA65JVS34DLZ3GMLHFCHDLA770S
  • Story Text: A Syrian member of parliament was on Sunday (July 1) dismissive of the agreement reached by world powers in Geneva a day earlier, saying the agreement reached and the decision-making process were unconnected to the Syrian people.
    Speaking to Reuters in Damascus, Khaled al-Abboud said the conflict can only be resolved among Syrians and not through the involvement of outside forces.
    "The Geneva meeting does not concern Syrians. This meeting is on an international stage where international conflicted forces are meeting on Syria. It does not concern Syrians," he said.
    "Syrians are the ones who can resolve these issues," he added.
    He repeated the government rhetoric of a nation under attack.
    "The only thing that helps Syrians is their steadfastness and ability to respond to this project against the Syrian people," he said.
    International powers agreed on Saturday (June 30) that a national unity government should be set up in Syria to resolve the conflict between President Bashar al-Assad and opposition forces trying to oust him.
    Peace envoy Kofi Annan said after the talks in Geneva that the government should include members of Assad's administration and the opposition. But it was not immediately clear what role, if any, was envisaged for Assad.
    The Geneva talks were billed as a last-ditch effort to halt the worsening bloodshed in Syria but hit obstacles as Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, opposed Western and Arab insistence that the Syrian strongman must quit the scene.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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