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29Sep15

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Syrian settlement possible only on basis of Russian initiatives – de Villepin

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France's former prime minister and foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin has come out in support of Russia's initiatives put forward at the United Nations.

"At the UN General Assembly session yesterday we could see for ourselves that long-awaited changes are taking place in the international scene. Russia has tabled important initiatives for Syria at a time when France and the United States are reluctant to revise their stance," de Villepin said. He pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin's message voiced at the United Nations was "clear, pragmatic and well-founded while those by the leaders of France and the United States looked rather inconsistent."

"To an extent that was so because France currently plays a role not very appropriate for it. It should propose a number of likely ways of handling the problem, political solutions that can be implemented with reliance on the realities," de Villepin said. "The diplomacy should not be confined to the question whether or not Bashar Assad should stay in power," he said. "Settling the Syrian crisis by military means will be impossible. It is necessary to mobilize the international community to focus on political initiatives. The beginning of that could be seen at the United Nations yesterday."

"It should be remembered that attempts at using military methods add to the strength of the Taliban in Afghanistan with every passing day, and that the United States' operations in Iraq have brought about the emergence of terrorist forces. Military intervention in Libya triggered a civil war in that country. It is nakedly clear that a military solution merely radicalizes the population in the countries that come under attack.

"The radicalization of the Sunnis is fraught with the proliferation of terrorism to the whole region. That has already happened in Iraq and tomorrow it may happen in Jordan and Lebanon, in Saudi Arabia and the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. The Islamic State and other terrorist groups are entering a new phase. They may set out to conquer holy Muslim shrines - Mecca and Medina. Also, they may go to war with Israel," de Villepin believes.

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, Paris, 29Sep15]

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This document has been published on 29Sep15 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.