Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Space Travel News .




WAR REPORT
Syrians alone will decide on Geneva II talks: Assad
by Staff Writers
Damascus (AFP) Oct 30, 2013


Russia warns of 'huge threat' if Syria talks fail
Athens (AFP) Oct 30, 2013 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday blasted critics of a US-Russia initiative for a peace conference on Syria, warning that toppling the Assad regime militarily posed a "huge threat" to the area.

"Open objections have surfaced against holding this Russia-US meeting (dubbed Geneva II), not only among Syrian sides but also among capitals, both in neighbouring and non-neighbouring states," Lavrov said during a visit to Athens, according to the official translation.

"We must not allow this initiative to fizzle out," he added, arguing that the overthrowing of President Bashar al-Assad's regime through military means would create an "extremist" state and pose a "huge threat to those living in Syria and the area".

Since the start of the conflict in March 2011, Damascus has systematically branded the uprising-turned-rebellion as a foreign-backed plot.

Washington and Moscow have struggled to win support for peace talks in Geneva from the warring parties in Syria, where more than 115,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict.

In the latest blow to peace efforts, 19 Islamist groups fighting to topple Assad issued a statement Sunday saying the Geneva conference "is not, nor will it ever be our people's choice or our revolution's demand".

burs-jph/ms/vjf

President Bashar al-Assad insisted in a meeting Wednesday with peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi that the Syrian people alone will decide the fate of a peace initiative dubbed Geneva II.

Assad also reiterated his long-standing position that in order for Syria to have peace, foreign nations must halt their support of rebels and opposition groups seeking to topple his regime, state television reported.

"The Syrian people are the only ones who have the right to decide on Syria's future, and any solution or agreement must have the acceptance of the Syrian people, and reflect their desires," Assad told Brahimi.

Brahimi's meeting with Assad comes as part of a regional tour aimed at garnering support for a US-Russian peace initiative for Syria planned next month in Geneva.

Assad also warned there must not be "any foreign intervention" in seeking a solution to Syria's civil war, in which an estimated 115,000 people have died in 31 months.

"Putting an end to support for the terrorists and pressuring the states that support them is the most important step to prepare... for dialogue," Assad said, using his regime's term for rebels.

Since the start of an anti-Assad revolt in March 2011, Damascus has systematically branded the uprising-turned-rebellion as a foreign-backed plot.

"The success of any political solution is linked to putting an end to support funnelled to terrorist groups," he added.

State television also reported UN-Arab League envoy Brahimi as agreeing with Assad that the Syrians themselves need to find a solution to the conflict ravaging the country.

"The efforts being made for the Geneva conference to be held are focused on finding the way for the Syrians themselves to meet and to agree on solving the crisis as quickly as possible," Brahimi said in the meeting, his first with Assad since December last year.

.


Related Links






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








WAR REPORT
Protest against Iraq PM blocks highway to Syria, Jorda
Ramadi, Iraq (AFP) Dec 23, 2012
About 2,000 Iraqi protesters, demanding the ouster of premier Nuri al-Maliki, blocked on Sunday a highway in western Iraq leading to Syria and Jordan, an AFP correspondent reported. The protesters, including local officials, religious and tribal leaders, turned out in Ramadi, the capital of Sunni province of Anbar, to demonstrate against the arrest of nine guards of Finance Minister Rafa al- ... read more


WAR REPORT
ILS Proton Launches Sirius FM-6 Satellite

Boeing Finalizes Agreement for Kennedy Space Center Facility

Russia Plans to Spend $22M on Soyuz-2 Launch Pad

Ariane 5 arrives at the Spaceport's Final Assembly Building for payload installation

WAR REPORT
NASA to probe why Mars lost its atmosphere

Mars Crater May Actually Be Ancient Supervolcano

Scientists discover how the atmosphere of Mars turned to stone

Mars Rover Opportunity Heads Uphill

WAR REPORT
Crowdfunded Lunar Spacecraft Reaches Funding Milestone

LADEE Continues To Settle Into Operational Lunar Orbit

NASA's moon landing remembered as a promise of a 'future which never happened'

Russia could build manned lunar base

WAR REPORT
The Sounds of New Horizons

On the Path to Pluto, 5 AU and Closing

SwRI study finds that Pluto satellites' orbital ballet may hint of long-ago collisions

Archival Hubble Images Reveal Neptune's "Lost" Inner Moon

WAR REPORT
Carbon Worlds May be Waterless

Planets rich in carbon could be poor in water, reducing life chances

New planet found around distant star could be record-breaker

Count of discovered exoplanets passes the 1,000 mark

WAR REPORT
Russia Mulls Development of New Super-Heavy Carrier Rocket

Long March-3, Chang'e probes vital to space program

Dream Chaser Free-Flight Test Report

Orbital Completes COTS Demonstration Mission to ISS

WAR REPORT
China launches experimental satellite Shijian-16

China Moon Rover A New Opportunity To Explore Our Nearest Neighbor

Is China Challenging Space Security

NASA's China policy faces mounting pressure

WAR REPORT
Space cannon ready: Japan to shoot asteroid for samples in 2014 mission

Another hazardous asteroid to dart close to Earth in 2065

Is the 'Christmas Comet' cracking up?

Comet ISON Appears Intact




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement