FRENCH PRESIDENT TO MEET SYRIAN OPPOSITION

New York, 19 Dzul Qoi’dah 1434/25 September 2013 (MINA) – The French President Francois Hollande said he is going to meet with the Syrian National Council leader on Thursday, adding that the council should be supported.

He reiterated that the Syrian regime attacked civilians with chemical gases, saying that denying such an attack is not trustworthy. “We are losing time,” he said in a press conference after speaking at the UN General Assembly.

Hollande stated that during the 2,5 years old war more than 100,000 people lost their lives, and added “We have no time to lose. I will meet with the Syrian National Council leader on Thursday. The council should be supported.”

Also Read: CUBA IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON DOCTORS TO COMBAT "BRAIN DRAIN" TO US

Hollande called for a binding resolution under chapter 7 of the UN charter if the Syrian regime does not keep its promise to place chemical stockpile under international control. Anadolu Agency reported as monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

French President Hollande said the crisis in Syria continued for years and called for the UN intervention at the UN General Assembly. “We should intervene. This is the UN’s honor. (Syrian President Bashar) Al Assad should quit immediately. Turkey and Lebanon drag refugee burden. As long as the crisis keeps on, this will be dangerous for both countries,” he told.

On 16 September 2013, Britain, France and the United States agreed to increase their backing for rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Also Read: US Backpeddles on Syria Transition Dates

The three powers also agreed at talks in Paris that Assad would face consequences if he fails to comply with a U.N. resolution setting out a timetable for the handover of Syria’s chemical weapons to international control.

In a statement on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stressed that the allies were “committed to the opposition” and said Assad had “lost all legitimacy to be possible to govern his country.”

“Each of us here today are here to emphasize the same thing, that what we achieved in this agreement has to be translated into a U.N. resolution, it has to be strong, it has to forceful it has to be real, it has to be transparent, it has to be timely, all of those things are critical, and it has to be enforced.

Also Read: US Expresses "Grave Concern" About Actions of Cambodian Government

“If the Assad regime believes that this is not enforceable and we are not serious, they will play games.”

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced there would be a major international meeting with leaders of the Syrian National Coalition in New York next week.“We know that in order to negotiate a political solution, there has to be a strong opposition,” Fabius said. (T/P04/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)