Russian foreign minister asks Syrian government to do more
Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 6:02:37 by Taimoor Tariq
Following the passing of the ceasefire deadline, Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavroz has urged the Syrian government to be more decisive in order to alleviate tensions
The deadline date for the Syrian government to begin withdrawing their forces from urban areas as agreed in a ceasefire plan, has come and gone and there are still reports of attacks in most of the Syrian cities.
Activists say that violence has not stopped and claim that there are tanks on the streets in several cities including Homs and Aleppo.
Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid al Muallem met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow and blamed the opposition for escalating violence before claiming that the government made the first move.
“We have withdrawn some troops from some cities in keeping with point C of Kofi Annan’s peace plan. I believe that the cessation of violence must be synchronized with the arrival of international observers.”
On his part, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted foreign powers to put more pressure on the opposition to meet the ceasefire deadline. However, Lavrov added that the Syrian government can do much better.
“I think the Syrian authorities could be more active, resolved and decisive in the time taken to implement Kofi Annan’s plan,” Lavrov said.
Part of the plan put forward by Kofi Annan, who is an Arab League and UN envoy for the Syrian crisis, includes President Bashar al-Assad withdrawing heavy weapons from urban areas, but the opposition claims they are still being used in cities like Hama.
April 12 was the date set for both sides to end hostilities which have caused a lot of lives and have seen many people leave Syria for Turkey.
Tags: Kofi Annan, Syria, Syrian army, Takeshi Matsuda, The ThingShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=18590
Posted by Taimoor Tariq
on Apr 10 2012. Filed under Middle East.
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The Syrian Spring is not an internal matter anymore. There is a tag-of-war between the pro-Iranian Bashar Assad, and the anti- Iranian troika, U.S. Israel and Saudi Arabia who want to oust Assad and deprive Iran and Hezbollah of a valuable ally. The Syrians have been fed up with 40 years of a despotic rule by the Assad family, and want to have a choice to elect their government. Turkey, also wants Assad out, like Mubarak, and genuine elections. But it is being sidelined by the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia who want to turn Syria into an anti-Iranian bastion and tighten the isolation noose around Iran!
Russia want Syria to do more, but it doesn’t want to see the U.S., Israeli, and Saudi Arabia armed, trained, and financed Syrian anti-Iranian rebels take over the Syrian government. They see that possible outcome as bad foreign interference that would harm both the average Syrians, and “their own interests!” That is why they have blocked any U.N. Security Council Resolution to force Assad out!
Where we are now? The Syrian Spring is not a Syrian Spring anymore. It is a proxy war between the states who want Assad out and a more isolated Iran, and the states that want to help Syrians resolve their internal problem without the Iran issue mixed in! And nobody is ready to budge! Nikos Retsos, retired professor