- Title: FRANCE: Canada confirms the use of chemical weapons in Syria
- Date: 14th June 2013
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 14, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF ELYSEE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE FRENCH AND CANADIAN FLAGS / CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER AND FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE WALKING TO MICROPHONES CEILING / HARPER AND HOLLANDE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER SAYING: "We share the view of our allies, I think based on the evidence before us that there have been uses of chemical weapons in Syria by the regime. And as you know the position of Canada on the regime is clear, we want to see Assad depart power and we want to see a regime that is representative of the entire population of Syria which the Assad regime in its present form can never be." PEOPLE STANDING JOURNALIST HOLDING MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE SAYING: "We need to make people understand that there is no alternative other than a political solution with the consequences that the Canadian prime minister has mentioned, that's to say the departure of Bashar al-Assad. We have to apply pressure, including on a military level, this is the reason why France has repeatedly highlighted a number of principles, urging the Syrian opposition to be clear about its policies and the possible use of any weapons that they could be given. But at the G8 summit, where Russia will be present, we will show the dangers of letting the massacres continue." HARPER AND HOLLANDE DURING CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 29th June 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- City:
- Country: France
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACI71OA0UL7A1ABTZF499PCUDX
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- Story Text: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said for the first time on Friday (June 14) that he was convinced the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons in Syria.
"We share the view of our allies, I think based on the evidence before us that there have been uses of chemical weapons in Syria by the regime. And as you know the position of Canada on the regime is clear, we want to see Assad depart power and we want to see a regime that is representative of the entire population of Syria which the Assad regime in its present form can never be," Harper said at a Paris news conference after a meeting with French President Francois Hollande.
U.S. President Barack Obama's administration said on Thursday that it was ready to arm Syrian rebels after having obtained proof that the government had used chemical weapons against the fighters seeking to oust Assad.
Hollande said that military pressure must be exerted on Assad's government and that the Syrian opposition had to be clear about how it intended to use any weapons they could obtain.
"We need to make people understand that there is no alternative other than a political solution with the consequences that the Canadian prime minister has mentioned, that's to say the departure of Bashar al-Assad. We have to apply pressure, including on a military level, this is the reason why France has repeatedly highlighted a number of principles, urging the Syrian opposition to be clear about its policies and the possible use of any weapons that they could be given," Hollande said.
"At the G8 summit, where Russia will be present, we will show the dangers of letting the massacres continue," he added. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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