Western countries supporting the Syrian opposition met Friday with the new US Secretary of State in Bonn, on the sidelines of a G20.They are reassured by Washington's position on the Syrian conflict. For the first time since the start of the Trump administration, a dozen Western and Arab countries, as well as Turkey and the European Union, supporting the Syrian opposition met on Friday (February 17th) US state Rex Tillerson, in Bonn, on the sidelines of a G20.
No negotiations with Russia without distancing from Damascus:
Berlin and Paris expressed their relief:
At the end of the meeting, Berlin and Paris expressed their relief: "It has become clear that we want in all cases a political solution [to the Syrian conflict] within the framework of the UN", said the head of The German diplomacy Sigmar Gabriel, host of the G20 meeting.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault reiterated that it was "important and necessary for there to be a close dialogue with the United States on this Syrian issue."
The political transition:
The peace talks between the regime of Damascus and the opposition must resume next Thursday in Geneva. But three negotiating sessions were never able to move forward because of the huge gap between the belligerents over the contours of the political transition in the country and the fate of President Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad regime:
According to a Western source, Rex Tillerson was very clear on the need to send messages to the Russians who support the Bashar al-Assad regime: "He explained to us that there would be no military cooperation with the Russians As long as they do not distance themselves from Damascus's position about the opposition.
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The peace agreement of Ukraine:
In addition to Syria, the US Secretary of State had held firm statements on Russia the day before, notably on maintaining sanctions as long as the peace accords were not implemented in Ukraine. Statements that reassured his partners while the White House in Washington is immersed in the cacophony following the revelations of New York on contacts between the campaign team of Donald Trump and the Russian intelligence services last year.
