Kerry Urges Syrian Opposition to Attend Rome Talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday urged the Syrian opposition to reconsider its threat to boycott talks with foreign powers due in Rome this week. He spoke from London on his first overseas trip since taking office.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

US, World

Topics

United States, US Politics, Politics & Government, Middle East & North Africa

People

John Kerry

Places

Syria, United States of America

Transcript

SHOTLIST: LONDON, FEBRUARY 25, 2013. SOURCE: POOL -VAR British Prime Minister David Cameron and New US Secretary of State John Kerry entering a room -David Cameron and John Kerry shaking hands SOUNDBITE 1 John Kerry (man), US Secretary of State (English, 24 sec): "The Assad regime has rained down rockets on Aleppo in recent days and that is just the latest example of Assad's brutality. We condemn this indescriminate killing of innocent civilians and we condemn it in the strongest terms. And it is just further evidence that Assad has to go." -Media crew at a press conference held by Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague (unseen). SOUNDBITE 2 John Kerry (man), US Secretary of State (English, 10 sec): "I would urge the Syrian opposition to join us as a matter of practicality and of informing us." -Kerry and Cameron sitting down and talking SOUNDBITE 3 John Kerry (man) US Secretary of State (English, 16 sec): "This moment is ripe for us to be considering what more we can do. And I... We understand that the Syrian people want to see results from this conference." -Kerry and Cameron talking /// ---------------------------------------- AFP TEXT STORY: US-diplomacy-Syria-conflict-opposition,lead Kerry urges Syrian opposition to attend Rome talks =(PICTURE+VIDEO)= LONDON, Feb 25, 2013 (AFP) - US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday urged the Syrian opposition to reconsider its threat to boycott talks with foreign powers due in Rome this week. "I would urge the Syrian opposition to join us as a matter of practicality and of informing us," Kerry said in a news conference in London after talks with British Foreign Secretary William Hague. He promised the rebels that the Friends of Syria group was not meeting on Thursday merely to talk but "we are coming to Rome to make a decision on next steps". He stressed though that the United States continued to pursue a political resolution to the conflict. Kerry said the killings in the Syrian city of Aleppo last week were "further evidence" that President Bashar al-Assad must stand down. "The Syrian people deserve better than the horrific violence that now invades and threatens their everyday lives," Kerry said. The Syrian National Council has said it will pull out of the 11-nation Friends of Syria talks in protest at the international community's "shameful" inability to halt the bloodshed.