Tillerson: Russia must choose between Assad and the US
LUCCA, Italy: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued an ultimatum to Russia on Tuesday: Side with the US and like-minded countries on Syria, or embrace Iran, militant group Hezbollah and embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
As he embarked on a trip to Moscow following urgent meetings in Italy with top diplomats, Tillerson said it was unclear whether Russia had failed to take seriously its obligation to rid Syria of chemical weapons, or had merely been incompetent. But he said the distinction doesnt much matter to the dead. He said: We cannot let this happen again.
Speaking to reporters, he said: We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role. Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russias interests longer term.
He added: It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end but the question of how that ends and the transition itself could be very important in our view to the durability, the stability inside of a unified Syria.
He said the cease-fire talks that Russia and Iran have helped broker in the Kazakh capital, Astana, could generate momentum toward broader talks about a political transition if the Astana talks succeed in creating a durable cease-fire. The resulting political talks would take place under the auspices of the UN process in Geneva.
To date, Astana has not achieved much progress, Tillerson said.
Tillerson spoke after a meeting of the like-minded countries was hastily arranged on the sidelines of the summit of the Group of Seven industrialized economies in Italy, days after the US for the first time launched airstrikes against Assads forces.
Tillerson said his hope is that Assad will not be part of Syrias future.
To be clear, our military action was a direct response to the Assad regimes barbarism. The United States priority in Syria and Iraq remains the defeat of ISIS (Daesh), he added.
G-7 foreign ministers reached no agreement on a British suggestion that sanctions be tightened against Syria and Russia, Italys foreign minister said.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had said ahead of the G7 meeting that he wanted to discuss imposing fresh sanctions over last weeks alleged chemical weapons attack in an opposition-held area by Assads air force.
There are obviously different opinions, and I am referring to my colleague Boris Johnson, who raised the issue, he said, adding: The position of the G7 is very clear. We support the sanctions that have already been introduced.
Meanwhile, Turkey said that tests proved the deadly nerve agent sarin was used in the chemical attack.
It has been identified that sarin gas was used, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said, quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu.
The results came from analysis of blood and urine samples of the victims who were brought to Turkey for treatment. Three of them died in hospital.
Akdag said isopropyl methylphosphonic acid was found, which is what results after sarin is exposed to the environment.
Sarin can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and kills by crippling the respiratory center of the central nervous system and paralyzing the muscles around the lungs.
source : http://www.arabnews.com/node/1082681/middle-east
LUCCA, Italy: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued an ultimatum to Russia on Tuesday: Side with the US and like-minded countries on Syria, or embrace Iran, militant group Hezbollah and embattled Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
As he embarked on a trip to Moscow following urgent meetings in Italy with top diplomats, Tillerson said it was unclear whether Russia had failed to take seriously its obligation to rid Syria of chemical weapons, or had merely been incompetent. But he said the distinction doesnt much matter to the dead. He said: We cannot let this happen again.
Speaking to reporters, he said: We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role. Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russias interests longer term.
He added: It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end but the question of how that ends and the transition itself could be very important in our view to the durability, the stability inside of a unified Syria.
He said the cease-fire talks that Russia and Iran have helped broker in the Kazakh capital, Astana, could generate momentum toward broader talks about a political transition if the Astana talks succeed in creating a durable cease-fire. The resulting political talks would take place under the auspices of the UN process in Geneva.
To date, Astana has not achieved much progress, Tillerson said.
Tillerson spoke after a meeting of the like-minded countries was hastily arranged on the sidelines of the summit of the Group of Seven industrialized economies in Italy, days after the US for the first time launched airstrikes against Assads forces.
Tillerson said his hope is that Assad will not be part of Syrias future.
To be clear, our military action was a direct response to the Assad regimes barbarism. The United States priority in Syria and Iraq remains the defeat of ISIS (Daesh), he added.
G-7 foreign ministers reached no agreement on a British suggestion that sanctions be tightened against Syria and Russia, Italys foreign minister said.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had said ahead of the G7 meeting that he wanted to discuss imposing fresh sanctions over last weeks alleged chemical weapons attack in an opposition-held area by Assads air force.
There are obviously different opinions, and I am referring to my colleague Boris Johnson, who raised the issue, he said, adding: The position of the G7 is very clear. We support the sanctions that have already been introduced.
Meanwhile, Turkey said that tests proved the deadly nerve agent sarin was used in the chemical attack.
It has been identified that sarin gas was used, Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdag said, quoted by state-run news agency Anadolu.
The results came from analysis of blood and urine samples of the victims who were brought to Turkey for treatment. Three of them died in hospital.
Akdag said isopropyl methylphosphonic acid was found, which is what results after sarin is exposed to the environment.
Sarin can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and kills by crippling the respiratory center of the central nervous system and paralyzing the muscles around the lungs.
source : http://www.arabnews.com/node/1082681/middle-east
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