With the US approval for Kofi Annan’s plan to resolve the Syrian crisis, the question then is raised if it’s ok with the United States for President Assad to remain in power?
In an interview with Reena Ninan of ABC in Turkey, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reiterated that President Assad must go, the sooner, the better for everyone concerned.
However, Ms. Clinton stresses that they require a multipronged approach to the problem.
Kofi Annan and his efforts to try to broker some kind of ceasefire and then a political process is part of it, but there has to be a timeline, Ms. Clinton added.
“It can’t go on indefinitely. And we’re not standing still, as you saw coming out of the meeting here in Istanbul.” – Ms. Clinton
She says the international community is moving forward on sanctions.
She adds they are taking action on accountability by documenting a lot of the atrocities.
“We’re moving forward on humanitarian aid, and we’re moving forward on direct assistance to the Syrian National Council.” -Ms. Clinton
The international community is trying to help support both the civilian presence outside and inside Iraq and in Syria, and part of the challenge is different people have different ideas of what might work, Ms. Clinton stressed.
The United States is going to provide technical assistance in the form of such things as communication capacity because we heard directly from the Syrian National Council representatives today they can’t communicate inside of Syria.
Clinton agreed that the Syrian opposition can’t communicate from inside to outside as well as they need.
There are certain assets that the US has that can be provided in the form of technical, logistical support, she noted.
In the interview, Ms. Clinton highlighted that Assad is the one who turned peaceful protests into instances of armed resistance.
Assad likes to blame everything on terrorists and foreigners, but in fact, these are Syrians trying to exercise the rights that others in the Arab Spring are exercising, Ms. Clinton noted.
The vast majority of the people who are standing up against the horrific assaults of the military machine in Syria are ordinary citizens defending themselves and their homes, Ms. Clinton said.
“One of the reasons why we want to send a very clear message to the people inside Syria, particularly those who are fighting to protect themselves and their families, is that the international community stands with you.” – Ms. Clinton
The international community wants to see an inclusive, democratic Syria where members of every ethnic group, every religion, are given a chance to be full citizens.
Earlier this week, the United States assured the Syrian people that they are not alone in the battle and the international community will be launching greater pressure against the regime.
In her remarks during camera spray following the meeting with Syrian National Council in Turkey, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the international community has been working very hard to try to figure out ways to help those inside Syria who are bearing the brunt of the brutality of the Assad regime.
The Syrian National Council has been working hard to organize Syrians behind a unified approach.
Ms. Clinton has stressed that the international community must have a close coordination to tackle the Syrian crisis.
Reports say some announcement come from the meeting in Istanbul that there will be greater pressure on the regime, there will be more assistance of all kinds for the Syrian National Council, there will be more humanitarian assistance, and that the people inside Syria should know they are not alone.
Since the protests began on 26th January this year, the Assad regime’s violent response has lead to the death of more than 8,000 people. Many more have been injured, and thousands of protesters have been detained.
