| Author (Person) | Rettman, Andrew |
|---|---|
| Series Title | EUObserver |
| Series Details | 17.06.13 |
| Publication Date | 17/06/2013 |
| Content Type | News |
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syria's key ally, rebuked European Union (EU) countries in June 2013 over plans to arm the rebels in Syria. The differences between Russia's position on Syria and that of the West was thrown into stark relief by the Downing Street meeting between President Putin and UK Prime Minister David Cameron on the 16 June 2013. In parallel, European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said on the 14 June 2013 that an immediate agreement was needed to deploy a United Nations mission into Syria to verify allegations that the Assad regime had used chemical weapons against opposition forces. She said the claims reinforced the need to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. BBC News reported on the 18 June 2013 that leaders at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland weree working to try to bridge their differences over Syria. Deutsche Welle, on the other hand, noted that divisions between Russia and the US over Syria had overshadowed talks of G-8 leaders in Northern Ireland’s Enniskillen. In the event the leaders at the G8 summit agreed on the 18 June 2013 to push for a Syrian peace conference – probably in the early autumn of 2013 – with the west desperately hoping to foment change from within Bashar al-Assad’s regime before the talks begin. Vladimir Putin, Russian President, refused to endorse the removal of Mr Assad but did agree to a declaration that the west hopes could encourage a military uprising against the Syrian president. |
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| Source Link | http://euobserver.com/foreign/120519 |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, Middle East |
