WORLD_ SYRIA_ France Seeking Clarity on Purpose of Russia’s Military Buildup in Syria

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

France Seeking Clarity on Purpose of Russia’s Military Buildup in Syria

French foreign minister says political solution cannot leave Syrian President Assad permanently in power



French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius speaks at a news conference ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan on Saturday. Mr. Fabius said there are many possible interpretations to Russia’s actions in Syria. Photo: Reuters

By Laurence Norman
Sept. 26, 2015 4:19 p.m. ET
1 COMMENTS


NEW YORK—France is still seeking clarity on the purpose of Russia’s military buildup in Syria, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Saturday, as he insisted a political solution cannot leave Syrian President Bashar al-Assad permanently in power.

U.S. officials have said Russian surveillance drones have started flying missions over Syria, as Moscow sent two dozen more fighter jets to a growing air base on the Syrian coast.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Fabius said there are “many possible interpretations” of Russia’s actions.

He said Moscow could be seeking to ensure the security of its Tartus naval base in Syria, it could be doubling down on its efforts to safeguard the Assad regime or it could be seeking to add force to allow it to attack both Islamic State in Syria and moderate opposition forces in the country.

“This still isn’t very clear; therefore the conversations that we are going to have…or that other colleagues of mine will have…is going to allow, I hope, to clarify the situation in a positive way,” he said.

Mr. Fabius is due to meet with his Russian counterpart in New York. French President François Hollande has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Paris next week for talks on the Ukraine crisis.

France has long led calls for the ouster of Mr. Assad as a prelude to a political transition in Syria. Mr. Fabius reiterated his charge that Mr. Assad has “the lead responsibility” for the “current chaos” in Syria and is responsible for the lion’s share of civilian deaths. Mr. Assad has said his efforts are aimed at defeating terrorist groups seeking to break up Syria.

Like the Obama administration, the French position has shifted in recent weeks. Western officials now say that a political solution could see Mr. Assad stay in his post for some time as part of a transition.

Russia and Iran, Syria’s biggest foreign backers, have said that Mr. Assad’s ouster cannot be a precondition of diplomacy.

Still, Mr. Fabius insisted that “Mr. Assad can’t be the eternal future of Syria.” He said this would guarantee continued violence and conflict in the country.

The French government announced earlier this month that its fighter jets will start bombing Islamic State targets in Syria in coming weeks after previously limiting its airstrikes against the group to Iraq. Islamic State and the al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front have strengthened their grip on parts of Syria in recent months although the Assad regime maintains its coastal stronghold.

“France is at the same time determined to fight against Dae’sh,” Mr. Fabius said, using an Arabic term for Islamic State, “and on the other hand, to find a political solution so that Syria can remain a state, but a state that recognizes its different communities.”

Write to Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com

***


Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc . 
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị . 



conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
27092015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC