UAE for change in strategy to end bloodshed in Syria

UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday stressed that the international community has to change its strategy to stop what is happening in Syria under the current regime that continues to perpetrate crimes against the Syrian people.

Addressing the ‘Third Friends of Syria Meet’, being held in Paris, Shaikh Abdullah wondered how many more Syrians must give their lives until the international community changes its strategy about what is happening in Syria.

“Some spoke today about the imposition of more sanctions, but the question is whether these penalties will change the behaviour of the Syrian regime and put an end to its crimes and massacres against the Syrian people?,” asked Shaikh Abdullah.

He said: “All countries gathered here and which have economic relations with Syria have imposed the maximum extent of sanctions on that country, yet it could not make any change in the behaviour of the Syrian regime that continues to kill and commit atrocities.”

He expressed surprise and denunciation over the absence of Kofi Annan in the conference and asked: “Where is Mr Kofi Annan, why didn’t he attend the conference and talk to us?”.

“It is shameful that a person in the status of Kofi Annan is absent at this meeting. I express utmost regret about the presence of Annan in Geneva. Is there any better place than this for Mr Annan to be present in this circumstance,” lamented Shaikh Abdullah.

Shaikh Abdullah asked: “How many more Syrians must die for us to move to stop the killings and massacres?”. He went on asking as to how long the world will wait letting the Syrian regime continue lying and ridiculing it and giving false excuses. Shaikh Abdullah concluded by asking: “When will we say to the Syrian regime, enough of the killings, destruction and massacres? When will we stop just watching andtalking?”.

The meeting insisted that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad would have to quit and sought a resolution under the UN charter’s Chapter 7, which provides for possible sanctions and military action.