Foreign Secretary welcomes "Friends of Syria" meeting
Foreign Secretary William Hague has welcomed Tunisia's offer to host a "Friends of Syria" meeting on 24 February.
Speaking today, the Foreign Secretary said:
鈥淥ver the past week the Assad regime has increased its already brutal assault on Syria鈥檚 civilian population. The world has watched in horror. There can no longer be any doubt that President Assad has lost legitimacy. I call on him again to spare the Syrian people from the atrocities of his regime, step aside, and allow a peaceful transition to a new Syria.
I welcome Tunisia鈥檚 offer to host a 鈥淔riends of Syria鈥� meeting on 24 February to build a coordinated international response to events in Syria. The UK is determined to pursue every possible peaceful means of pressurising Assad鈥檚 regime until it ceases its brutal repression of the Syrian people, and the Friends of Syria group is an essential means of doing that. The meeting will show the breadth and strength of international support for the Arab League鈥檚 efforts to resolve the crisis.
The UK looks forward to working closely with Arab and international partners in the 鈥淔riends of Syria鈥� group to end the violence and begin the process of transition that the Syrian people deserve.鈥�