Determined to see an end to the current blood bath in Syria, Foreign Secretary William Hague has left Britain for Tunisia to attend the first ever "Friends of Syria"(FOS) meeting, which aims to intensify collective action of the international community in response to the events in Syria.
The FOS meeting is the latest move by the international community to back the Arab League's plan for a Syrian-led solution to the crisis, following the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on 16 February. More than 60 countries are expected at the meet.
Key aims for the meeting are to:
• Demonstrate widespread international support for the Arab League plan, and increase the level of that support;
• Put further pressure on the Assad regime, including by encouraging other countries to follow the EU, US and Arab League lead on sanctions and pressing work to ensure accountability for human rights abuses;
• Increase support for the political opposition – by encouraging it to come together around the Syrian National Counci (SNC). It is crucial that it develops a united vision and a strategy;
• Press for immediate, free and safe humanitarian access while ensuring a co-ordinated international response under the UN. The meeting will also look at economic recovery.
Backing Tunisia's offer on 12 February to host what can now be termed an ‘olive branch’ conference, the Foreign Secretary said: "The UK is determined to pursue every possible peaceful means of pressurising Assad’s regime until it ceases its brutal repression of the Syrian people, and the "Friends of Syria" group is an essential means of doing that. The meeting will show the breadth and strength of international support for the Arab League’s efforts to resolve the crisis.”
Minister Hague added: "The UK looks forward to working closely with Arab and international partners in the “Friends of Syria” group to end the violence and begin the process of transition that the Syrian people deserve."