In These New Times

We must draw some encouragement from the descent of the West’s Syria strategy into incoherence and imbecility. Here Hague claims support for the Annan plan which seeks a negotiated settlement between all parties whilst pledging further support to one of the parties to the conflict, the so-called opposition.

FCO

5th July, 2012

On 6 July more than one hundred countries are expected to meet in Paris for the third Friends of Syria meeting in support of Joint Envoy Kofi Annan’s efforts to try to end the violence and make progress on a peaceful political transition in Syria.

The key aims of the meeting are to:

• Fully endorse Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s transition plan and the outcomes from the Action Group in Geneva on 30 June;
• Urge countries to use their influence on the Syrian government and opposition to engage with Annan and ensure the implementation of a transitional process in line with the principles he has set out;
• Agree further ways of increasing pressure on the Syrian regime to comply with Annan’s plan and urge action at the UN if it does not;
• Emphasise the need for accountability including support for the Commission of Inquiry and evidence gathering;
• Call for more sanctions and encourage others to do more on sanctions in line with EU and US action;
• Increase support for the opposition. The UK has recently provided a further half a million pounds to Syria’s political opposition;

However as the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate we must also help those affected.

In addition countries will call for the Syrian regime to ensure unimpeded access by neutral and impartial humanitarian agencies. The British Government today announced a doubling of its humanitarian support to aid the 1.5 million civilians, including 500,000 who have been forced to flee their homes, who are in need of emergency assistance, and the thousands more who have chosen to flee the country.