JORDAN: Canada will not supply weapons to Syrian rebels Foreign Minister John Baird

Record ID: 281267

  • Title: JORDAN: Canada will not supply weapons to Syrian rebels Foreign Minister John Baird
  • Date: 11th August 2012
  • Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (AUGUST 11, 2012) (REUTERS) CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOHN BAIRD ARRIVING AT FOREIGN MINISTRY JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER NASSER JUDEH WELCOMES BAIRD BAIRD AND JUDEH DURING MEETING BAIRD SEATED JUDEH SEATED BAIRD AND JUDEH SEATED DURING MEETING BAIRD AND JUDEH ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE HALL CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jordan
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA6SXVVM8SSOOBKK451BJNA7F82
  • Story Text: Canada said on Saturday (August 11) that its announcement of $3.5 million (USD) of aid for Syrian refugees and medical care inside the country would not include any weapons support for the opposition.
    Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird met his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh, in Amman during the day to discuss ways Canada could help Jordan cope with an influx of refugees fleeing fighting in Syria.
    Baird said Canada's fresh aid - some $1.5 million for refugees via the World Food Programme and an additional $2 million for medical support inside Syria - would only be aimed at humanitarian work and providing for support after a departure of President Bashar al-Assad.
    "We made a decision not to provide certainly any lethal support although we are prepared to help in non lethal support, whether it is how to promote democracy and freedom, how to build a pluralist society in the days, weeks and months, after Assad falls and today announcing $2 million for medical supplies," Baird said at a news conference.
    Baird pledged funds for the Jordanian branch of the World Food Programme charity to aid refugees and donations for medical supplies for doctors inside Syria.
    Earlier on Saturday Baird visited a desert refugee camp in Jordan.
    The issues of weapons for the Syrian rebels fighting Assad has grown into a contentious diplomatic issue.
    Assad supporter Russia contends that some Arab countries - in particular Saudi Arabia and Qatar - are channelling weapons to the rebels; Western countries remain at pains to stress that they are not offering lethal support to the opposition.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register