Syria: Tunis conference seeks diplomatic breakthrough
24.02.2012 12:09
BBC: A major conference is being held in Tunisia to seek a breakthrough in the increasingly bitter Syrian unrest.
The US, Europe and Arab countries plan to challenge President Bashar al-Assad to provide humanitarian access within days to the worst-affected areas.
But Russia and China, key allies of Syria which have blocked UN resolutions again Damascus, are not attending the "Friends of Syria" conference.
Activists say more than 90 people died across Syria on Thursday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had received no response from the Syrian authorities over its request on Monday for a pause in fighting to allow aid to be taken in.
"We are more and more concerned over humanitarian needs that are increasing by the hour," ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan told Reuters news agency.
"It is crucial that our initiative is met with a positive and concrete reaction urgently."
Opposition support
Around 70 nations, including the US, UK, France and Turkey are attending the Tunis conference, organised by the Arab League.
They will discuss a declaration on Syria which is expected to demand an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian assessment, with the threat of further sanctions if ignored.
The declaration may also boost the standing of the main opposition umbrella group the Syrian National Council (SNC), by naming it as a "legitimate" representative of Syrians, but stopping short of giving it full endorsement.
At least one opposition group, the National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change (NCCDC), is boycotting the meeting, saying it reflected a "dangerous trend towards... specifying who represents the Syrian people" and left open the idea of military intervention, AFP news agency reports.
The BBC's Jonathan Marcus in Tunis says the conference has been conceived as a means of getting around the blocking tactics of Russia and China at the United Nations.
Both countries are long-time allies of Damascus and have faced Western and Arab criticism for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution that would have backed an Arab League peace plan for Syria.
They have said they want to see an end to the violence but oppose any international action which amounts to forced regime change.
China said it wanted to "play a constructive role" but that international efforts should focus on alleviating tensions, promoting peace and stability and "dissolving differences".
'Assad's stranglehold'
On the eve of the conference, the UN and Arab League appointed Kofi Annan as their envoy to Syria.
Mr Annan, a former UN secretary general, has in recent years acted as a diplomatic troubleshooter in several long-running conflicts.
He said looked forward to working with all relevant parties to "help bring an end to the violence and human rights abuses, and promote a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis".
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she wanted to see progress on three fronts - providing humanitarian relief, increasing dipomatic and economic pressure on the regime through sanctions and preparing for a democratic transition of power.
She warned that the Syrian opposition were becoming "increasingly capable" and "will from somewhere, somehow find the means to defend themselves as well as begin offensive measures".
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said it was vital that the international community came together on the issue of Syria, while French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said the conference needed to exert the maximum pressure on the Syrian government and also on Russia.
But Mr Juppe said there was no military option on the table and France could not envisage such an option without an international mandate.
Journalists' plea
The conference comes two days after two journalists - American Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik - died during shelling in Homs.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has described the killing of the two journalists as "murder", according to AFP.
"Those who did this will have to account for it," Mr Sarkozy said, alleging that the journalists were specifically targeted.
Two journalists wounded in the same attack have made internet appeals for medical help. Frenchwoman Edith Bouvier is being treated by Syrian medics but needs surgery which they are unable to perform. Paul Conroy, who is British, also asked for outside help to bring him to safety.
Mr Juppe said he had strongly protested to the Syrian authorities over the journalists, who he said were "being held captive" by government forces.
"I have asked today for Damascus to provide a safe corridor for evacuation. Nothing has been done to date but we have pointed out the very bad health conditions for this woman journalist and for other people who are suffering from the repression."
France's Syria ambassador - who was withdrawn on 7 February - returned to Damascus on Thursday evening. A foreign ministry spokesman declined to say whether this was related to efforts to get Ms Bouvier out.
Meanwhile, a United Nations panel has drawn up a confidential list of Syrian military officials - believed to include President Assad - who could face investigation for crimes against humanity.
It says these include shooting unarmed women and children, shelling civilian areas and torturing the wounded.