The Friends of Syria group gathered in London just days after UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi stepped down after almost two years of fruitless efforts to end the war.
State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: "There is broad agreement we need to redouble our efforts in Syria."
"And whether that is providing more assistance to the opposition, addressing the humanitarian crisis or putting more pressure on the Syrian regime — it is going to take the weight of the international community — today is an opportunity to discuss."
- The Friends of Syria group is made up of Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
- Kerry said before leaving Washington for his latest diplomatic offensive that Brahimi "did not fail".
The top US diplomat blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "who will not negotiate, who absolutely refused to negotiate at every single session."
Kerry said Assad was "clinging to power" and described him as a leader "who is willing to drop barrel bombs on his people, to gas them, to shell artillery on innocent civilians, to starve people in their homes, and somehow claim a right to be able to run a country".
British Prime Minister David Cameron took a similar position earlier this week, reiterating that "Assad can't be part of Syria's future."
The London talks are also likely to underline the group's rejection of the presidential elections being organised by the Syrian regime on June 3.
- Syrian opposition leader Ahmad Jarba also took part after attending a week of high-level meetings in Washington in a bid to strengthen US support for the rebels in their battle against Assad.
"Keeping the pressure on the regime will increase the chances of finding a political solution," Jarba said in a statement.
In a sign of the deep divisions within the rebel movement, the US government officially designated two officials of rival jihadist groups in Syria as "global terrorists" Wednesday, and warned other rebel groups to stay away from both men.
- The US Treasury added Saudi-born Abd Al-Rahman Muhammad Zafir Al-Dubaysi al-Juhni and Iraq native Abd Al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.
Al-Juhni is part of a group of senior Qaida operatives in Syria formed to attack Western targets outside the country and also to mediate tensions between ISIL and the Al-Nusra Front, the local Qaeda affiliate, the Treasury said.
[timesofindia.indiatimes.com]
15/5/14
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- Friends of Syria Core Group (London 11) Communique
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
May 15, 2014
Following is the text of the communique agreed
upon by the Ministers of the London 11 countries at a meeting held in
London on May 15, 2014.
Begin text:
1. We the countries of the ‘London 11’ Core Group of the Friends of Syria denounce the Assad regime’s unilateral plan to hold illegitimate presidential elections on 3 June. This mocks the innocent lives lost in the conflict, utterly contradicts the Geneva communiqué and is a parody of democracy. Under rules set by the regime, such elections will be devoid of political participation of millions of Syrians. We call on the entire international community to reject these illegitimate elections, as the Arab League, United Nations, United States of America, Turkey and the European Union have already done.
2. We have agreed unanimously to take further steps together, through a coordinated strategy, to: increase our support for the moderate opposition National Coalition, its Supreme Military Council and associated moderate armed groups; hold the Assad regime accountable for the terror it is perpetrating against its own people and spreading across the region, including through Security Council referral to the International Criminal Court; counter the rising forces of extremism; complete the removal of Syria’s chemical weapons; and step up efforts to deliver humanitarian aid across borders and across lines irrespective of the consent of the regime. We have directed our officials to implement a Core Group action plan.
[U.S. State Department]
15/5/14
Begin text:
1. We the countries of the ‘London 11’ Core Group of the Friends of Syria denounce the Assad regime’s unilateral plan to hold illegitimate presidential elections on 3 June. This mocks the innocent lives lost in the conflict, utterly contradicts the Geneva communiqué and is a parody of democracy. Under rules set by the regime, such elections will be devoid of political participation of millions of Syrians. We call on the entire international community to reject these illegitimate elections, as the Arab League, United Nations, United States of America, Turkey and the European Union have already done.
2. We have agreed unanimously to take further steps together, through a coordinated strategy, to: increase our support for the moderate opposition National Coalition, its Supreme Military Council and associated moderate armed groups; hold the Assad regime accountable for the terror it is perpetrating against its own people and spreading across the region, including through Security Council referral to the International Criminal Court; counter the rising forces of extremism; complete the removal of Syria’s chemical weapons; and step up efforts to deliver humanitarian aid across borders and across lines irrespective of the consent of the regime. We have directed our officials to implement a Core Group action plan.
[U.S. State Department]
15/5/14
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