Skip to main content
FRANCE

Paris to host Syria meeting today with allies

France is due to host a "working dinner" at the French foreign ministry this evening on the Syria crisis with Western and Arab allies, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. Today's meeting was announced at the last minute and will feature mainly lower-rung officials.

REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
Advertising

The United States is sending its deputy secretary of state Anthony Blinken in the place of his boss, John Kerry.

Britain said it was "unlikely" that Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond would take par

The meeting is to include "the main partners engaged with France in dealing with the Syrian crisis: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Germany, the United States, Italy and Britain," Fabius said in a statement.

"They will discuss the means to bring about a political transition towards a united and democratic Syria, respectful of all communities, while also reinforcing our fight against terrorism," he added.

France was not invited to a 4-way talks on Friday between Russian, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Vienna, leading some observers to wonder whether France, the resolution "pen-holder" on Syria at United Nations Security Council, feels left out in the cold on negotiations.

Fabius said last week that France is working towards presenting a draft UN Security Council resolution to stop President Bashar al-Assad's regime from using barrel bombs.

It is highly likely that Russia, which also has a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, would block any measures which would constrain Assad.

A Russian spokesman said that there was another possible meeting in Vienna this Friday with the US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey four countries were working on organising another possible meeting this Friday in Vienna.

In the past few months, the lines of negotiations on Syria between the major powers has shifted due to two major factors.

Firstly, the massvie influx of refugees into Europe has created a poltical and humanitarian crisis.

Secondly, Russia's dramatic intervention into the war to shore up areas known to be Syrain President Bashar Al-Assad's stronghold has also caused alarm among western powers.

In recent weeks, in would appear that Riyadh, Washington and Ankara have softened their stance on demanding the immediate departure of Assad.

Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning

Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app

Share :
Page not found

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.