Brussels, 18/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - The British foreign minister considers that attacks against the inner circle of President Bachar Al-Assad provide additional arguments in favour of decisive action by the UN in Syria. On 18 July, the minister indicated that not only was a UN Security Council resolution necessary but also a resolution that could lead to resolving this problem and move towards a peaceful political process and a transitional government in Syria. He underlined that it was clear that the situation was rapidly getting worse and that a tougher resolution would be needed than any previously. Hague added that the support from Russia and China had not yet been received for such a resolution and that discussion would continue with them on this matter.
The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he sincerely hoped that members of the Security Council would have an increased sense of urgency and would be able to change and take a collective decision, in the interest of unity.
A new resolution proposing sanctions against the regime and extending the mandate for the observers is expected to be put to a vote on Wednesday 18 July but Russia has threatened to use its veto and China may also oppose it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that “Russia will not adopt a Security Council resolution, which would mean UN support for revolution in Syria”. He described the ongoing fighting as “decisive” and emphasised that the adoption of the resolution put forward by the Europeans and the US would effectively mean “direct support for a revolutionary movement. If it is a question of revolution, the UN should have nothing to do with it”.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius condemned terrorism and called for political transition. He said “the French government, without knowing the circumstances surrounding this attack, has always condemned terrorism. That said, given the degree of violence, it makes it even more necessary and urgent to find a way towards political transition”. The spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Bernard Valero, said that the regime's struggle to hold on to its power was “in vain”. On the previous day, President of France, François Hollande, said that the Russians “must understand that they cannot be seen as the only ones or almost the only ones preventing a solution being found”.
On Wednesday, Syrian Defence Minister Daoud Rajha and brother-in-law of president el-Assad, Assef Shawkat were killed in a suicide attack against the National Security building in Damascus. The Free Syrian Army has claimed responsibility. Home Affairs Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al Chaar was injured. Shortly afterwards, the army announced that “this terrorist act reinforces the determination of our armed forces to cleanse our country of the terrorist groups remaining”. (CG/transl.fl)