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Annan Heading To Iran After Syria Meetings

July 09, 2012

by RFE/RL

United Nations-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan says he and Syrian President Bashar Assad have agreed on an "approach" to end the violence in Syria.

Speaking to reporters after talks with Assad on in Damascus on July 9, Annan didn't disclose details, but he maintained that he also intends to discuss the "approach" with the armed opposition that has been fighting to end Assad's rule.

"We discussed the need to end the violence and ways and means of doing so," he said. "We agreed [on] an approach which we will also share -- which I will share with the armed opposition. I also stressed the importance of moving ahead with a political dialogue, which the president accepts."

Reports say Annan was expected to travel next to Tehran for talks on Syria with Iranian officials.

Iran and Russia are the Assad regime's two major international allies. The two countries have declined to back Western calls for Assad to resign to allow a transitional government to take power.

However, a senior Russian official said on July 9 that Moscow will not sign new weapons contracts with Syria until the situation there calms down.

Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, deputy chief of the Russian military and technical cooperation agency, told Russian news agencies on the sidelines of the Farnborough air show near London that Russia will continue with previously agreed exports, but will not sell new arms to Syria.

He also said Russia is not selling attack helicopters to Syria.

'Rocket-Bomb Democracy'

Also on July 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin again warned that Moscow stands opposed to foreign military intervention in Syria.

Putin said instead of using what he called a "rocket-bomb democracy" to topple Assad, the international community should urge the opposition and the government to negotiate and find a peaceful political solution.

According to Syrian activists, upward of 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since the antigovernment uprising begun in March 2011. The figures cannot be independently confirmed.

Speaking on July 8, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton maintained that Syrian opposition fighters have been growing more effective and the sooner the violence ends, the better the chances of sparing Syria's government from being potentially overrun by rebel forces.

"The future to me should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime," she said. "The days are numbered and the sooner there can be an end to the violence and a beginning of a political transition process, not only will fewer people die, but there's a chance to save the Syrian state from a catastrophic assault that would be very dangerous, not only to Syria but to the region."

Also speaking on July 8, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said Assad "must understand that things cannot continue as they are."

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and RIA Novosti

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/annan-heading-to-iran-after-syria-meetings-/24639505.html

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Annan Heading To Iran After Syria Meetings