By AFP | 7 Jan, 2014, 11.01AM IST
TOKYO: A UN-hosted peace conference on Syria must work to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power because of his culpability for tens of thousands of deaths, Turkey's Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"In Geneva 2, we must make sure that... all the measures will not fail...so that we can (bring) in an era without Bashar al-Assad," he said, referring to peace talks planned later this month in Switzerland.
The Syrian conflict is estimated to have....
Currently there are no indictments of Assad. It would be very short sighted for those involved with the Peace Conference to believe it will be successful without representation of the current government. The Assad government has been cooperative in disarming from chemical weapons and there is no reason to believe that will continue without his authority present.
...The 30 countries invited to the Geneva talks include Saudi Arabia, a major backer of the Syrian opposition, as well as the five UN Security Council permanent members -- and Syria's neighbours Turkey, Iraq and Jordan.
Japan's foreign minister Fumio Kishida is also expected to attend. "In the Geneva 1 there were several issues that were taken up and in the Geneva 2 we will make sure that these will not fail.... It is very important that Japan takes part in this," Erdogan said....
For as difficult as it is to accept, Syria's Assad had a right to have chemical weapons previous to signing the Chemical Weapons' Convention. So, to assume President Assad will be indicted on any kind of international crime and against international law is an error.
I am fairly confident the leaders of Jordan and Saudi Arabia have been in contact with President Assad during these times and have been instrumental in encouraging him to disarm from his chemical stockpiles. All the nations invited to the peace conference should have a say to the presence of President Assad.
In changing the topic, Saudi Arabia would be aware of the circumstances in Iraq regarding Al Anbar and the Sunnis attempting to rebuild their province. I would not underestimate Saudi Arabia's influence with the Al Anbar Province. It is completely wrong for Baghdad to start a civil war with their own people in the face of an international community able to establish stability.
TOKYO: A UN-hosted peace conference on Syria must work to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power because of his culpability for tens of thousands of deaths, Turkey's Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Tokyo on Tuesday.
"In Geneva 2, we must make sure that... all the measures will not fail...so that we can (bring) in an era without Bashar al-Assad," he said, referring to peace talks planned later this month in Switzerland.
The Syrian conflict is estimated to have....
Currently there are no indictments of Assad. It would be very short sighted for those involved with the Peace Conference to believe it will be successful without representation of the current government. The Assad government has been cooperative in disarming from chemical weapons and there is no reason to believe that will continue without his authority present.
...The 30 countries invited to the Geneva talks include Saudi Arabia, a major backer of the Syrian opposition, as well as the five UN Security Council permanent members -- and Syria's neighbours Turkey, Iraq and Jordan.
Japan's foreign minister Fumio Kishida is also expected to attend. "In the Geneva 1 there were several issues that were taken up and in the Geneva 2 we will make sure that these will not fail.... It is very important that Japan takes part in this," Erdogan said....
For as difficult as it is to accept, Syria's Assad had a right to have chemical weapons previous to signing the Chemical Weapons' Convention. So, to assume President Assad will be indicted on any kind of international crime and against international law is an error.
I am fairly confident the leaders of Jordan and Saudi Arabia have been in contact with President Assad during these times and have been instrumental in encouraging him to disarm from his chemical stockpiles. All the nations invited to the peace conference should have a say to the presence of President Assad.
In changing the topic, Saudi Arabia would be aware of the circumstances in Iraq regarding Al Anbar and the Sunnis attempting to rebuild their province. I would not underestimate Saudi Arabia's influence with the Al Anbar Province. It is completely wrong for Baghdad to start a civil war with their own people in the face of an international community able to establish stability.
