Jean-Marc Ayrault told reporters that France had decided on such a step because there appeared no immediate prospect of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) convening to try to restore a ceasefire wrecked by an upsurge of fighting, which has seen nearly 300 people killed in the last 13 days, as well as the bombing of hospitals and civilian areas.
“We are fighting [to ensure] the ceasefire returns straight away and we would like the ISSG to meet. For now we have not got any agreement from the Americans or Russians who co-preside the group to hold this meeting,” Ayrault said.
“That’s the reason why I am going to invite like-minded countries to meet in Paris on Monday for a strong initiative to end the deadly bombings, so that humanitarian aid can arrive effectively and that we can once again open the way to a political solution,” he said.
Mutliplying talks
The announcement came as diplomatic efforts to stem the violence in Syria shifted to Berlin, where on Wednesday German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was to hold talks with UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, Syria's main opposition leader Riad Hijab and France's top diplomat Jean-Marc Ayrault. The UN Security Council is also set to meet on the crisis later in the day.
Ayrault did not specify which countries France would invite, though government spokesman Stephane Le Foll earlier mentioned inviting officials from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
Other countries supporting non-jihadi opposition groups battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces include the United States, Turkey and European powers. They have all called on Assad to step down.
The ISSG comprises 17 countries and they include Russia and Iran, which back the Assad government.
A French diplomatic source said the ISSG could meet around May 17, but added that much would depend on whether a ceasefire across the country had been agreed beforehand to avoid clashes at any talks between major powers.
In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted on Wednesday as saying the ISSG could be convened in the coming weeks.
Humanitarian crisis
The first major ceasefire in Syria’s five-year civil war, sponsored by the United States and Russia, had held since February but has virtually collapsed in recent weeks, with the city of Aleppo bearing the brunt of the renewed violence. Aleppo’s humanitarian situation has become increasingly dire, and UN humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland said Wednesday that Syria’s government is refusing UN appeals to deliver aid to 905,000 people including those in Aleppo.
“It is a disgrace to see that while the population of Aleppo is bleeding, their options to flee have never been more difficult than now,” Egeland said.
The humanitarian task force chaired by Egeland enjoyed some success in opening up access for aid in April, but progress has stalled and requests to the Syrian government to greenlight aid convoys to six remaining besieged areas in May have largely fallen on deaf ears.
The first major ceasefire in Syria’s five-year civil war, sponsored by the United States and Russia, had held since February but has virtually collapsed in recent weeks, with the city of Aleppo bearing the brunt of the renewed violence. Aleppo’s humanitarian situation has become increasingly dire, and UN humanitarian advisor Jan Egeland said Wednesday that Syria’s government is refusing UN appeals to deliver aid to 905,000 people including those in Aleppo.
“It is a disgrace to see that while the population of Aleppo is bleeding, their options to flee have never been more difficult than now,” Egeland said.
The humanitarian task force chaired by Egeland enjoyed some success in opening up access for aid in April, but progress has stalled and requests to the Syrian government to greenlight aid convoys to six remaining besieged areas in May have largely fallen on deaf ears.
No comments:
Post a Comment