Kerry Wants Aid to Syria to Strengthen Moderates

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says any aid to the Syrian opposition must help strengthen moderate forces.

Kerry reaffirmed Washington's support for the Syrian people during a news conference in Doha with Qatar's Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani.  He also said the top priority for the U.S. is to see the killing in Syria end and for the Syrian people to be free.

Kerry said the United States is aware of what types of aid other countries have been giving to Syrian opposition forces.  He said the U.S. has encouraged those countries to ensure to the extent possible that such aid, including weapons, goes to moderates.

U.S. officials and analysts have warned that extremists groups, some with ties to al-Qaida, have been infiltrating the Syrian opposition.  But Kerry said the opposition is more organized and more unified than before.

Qatar's prime minister has been encouraging countries like the U.S. to help arm the the opposition, warning the longer the world waits the easier it will be for extremists to infiltrate the opposition movement.

Both Kerry and the prime minister urged the opposition and the Syrian regime to find a way to get behind a transitional government with full executive authority.

Jordan's King Abdullah echoed the sentiment during a meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara.

"There is an urgent need for a political transition that puts an immediate end to the bloodshed, restore security and preserve the territorial integrity and unity of the Syrian people. And only an inclusive transition will stop sectarian conflict and avoid fragmentation of Syria,"  Abdullah said.

Abdullah also called attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis, asking the international community to help Jordan, Turkey and other countries now seeing and influx of refugees.

"This is a responsibility that both our countries take seriously, but also it is a tremendous burden to both our nations, one that we will continue to shoulder, and we will continue to give the Syrian people in both our countries all the support that we can, but we also ask the international community to assist Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon in this tremendous crisis," Abdullah said.

Hospitals in northern Jordan say they are struggling to keep up with the number of Syrians fleeing across the border for medical care.

Princess Basma Hospital director Akram Al-Khasawneh says the facility is being forced to turn people away.

 "Yesterday [Monday] evening we received a large number of patients. These patients were from varying age groups and had differing injuries. We received 33 cases, most of whom were injured as a result of shrapnel and live ammunition,"  Al-Khasawneh said.

Also Tuesday, the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, said one-fifth of Syria's schools have been damaged or are now being used to shelter displaced people.

UNICEF said its assessment found at least 2,400 schools had been damaged or destroyed during the two year conflict.

In the meantime, government warplanes bombed the northern Syrian city of Raqqa, one day after rebels claimed the city as their own.

Rebels said they seized most of the city Monday along with the provincial governor, Hassan Jalili, calling him the highest-ranking official to be captured since the uprising began.

Video posted on the Internet Tuesday claimed to show Raqqa city residents celebrating and tearing down a statue of Mr. Assad's father, the late president Hafez al-Assad.

The rebels now hold parts of several major Syrian cities, including Aleppo in the north, suburbs of the capital Damascus, and the central city of Homs.



fuente: La Voz de América, http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-kerry-aid/1615622.html

Comentarios

Entradas populares de este blog

Las 3 banderas de Chile

FALLECE ROY GARBER, UNO DE LOS PROTAGONISTAS DE LA SERIE “GUERRA DE ENVÍOS” EN A&E

Historia de la ex Escuela Alemana de Llanquihue