- Title: U.S. reviewing 'new' options on Syria, Blinken says
- Date: 29th September 2016
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 29, 2016) (UNRESTRICTED POOL - Broadcasters: NONE Digital: NONE WIDESHOT HEARING ROOM OF THE U.S. SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE PAN MEMBERS OF THE U.S. SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE TO U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SEATED IN HEARING ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENATOR BOB CORKER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, SAYING: "I would like to understand what Plan B is, the mysterious Plan B that has been referred to since February, the mysterious Plan B that was supposed to be leverage to get Russia to quit killing innocent, to get Assad to quit killing innocent people. Just explain to us the elements of Plan B." (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH SENATOR BOB CORKER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, SAYING: BLINKEN: "Russia has a profound incentive in trying to make this work. It can't win in Syria; it can only prevent Assad from losing. If this now gets to the point where the civil war actually accelerates, all of the outside patrons are going to throw in more and more weaponry against Russia. Russia will be left propping up Assad in an ever smaller piece of Syria and the consequence--" CORKER: "I understand that. What is Plan B. Give me the elements of Plan B." BLINKEN: "So, two things: again, the consequences, I think, to Russia, as well as to the regime, will begin to be felt as a result of Plan A not being implemented because of Russia's actions. Second, as I indicated, the president has asked all of the agencies to put forward options -- some familiar, some new -- that we are very actively reviewing. When we are able to work through these in the days ahead, we will have an opportunity to come back and talk about them in detail. But, we are in the process of doing that." CORKER: "Okay, so let me just say what we already know: There is no plan B." WIDESHOT REVERSE OF BLINKEN SPEAKING AND CORKER LISTENING
- Embargoed: 14th October 2016 16:45
- Keywords: Syria Russia Antony Blinken Bob Corker Senate Foreign Relations Committee civil war Plan B
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00151MEHXJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:U.S. national security agencies are reviewing options, including some new ones, to try to end the Syrian civil war, the second-ranking U.S. diplomat said on Thursday (September 29) when asked what was the U.S. "Plan B" after the apparent failure of diplomacy.
"The (U.S.) president (Barack Obama) has asked all of the agencies to put forward options, some familiar, some new, that we are very actively reviewing," Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers. "When we are able to work through these in the days ahead we'll have an opportunity to come back and talk about them in detail." - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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