Britain to restore peace and stability in Syria

The British Foreign Secretary William Hague who is currently visiting Iraq, said that his government supports the formation of a transitional government in order to solve the current crisis in Syria and to restore security and stability in Syria. In a joint press conference in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari, Hague said that the British government is certain that Assad’s regime will come to end and it cannot continue. Hague added that the Syrian issue topped the issues that were discussed during his meeting with Zebari. He pointed out that changing Syria to become more democratic and stable, is the only way to avoid a long civil war, the collapse of the Syrian state, and increase in death toll and refugees. Hague said that he will meet during his visit to Baghdad the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, and a number of Iraqi politicians in order to know more accurately their perceptions about the situation in Iraq and the impact of the current and future Syrian situation. Zebari said: “ Britain and Iraq agreed on one point of view regarding democratic political transition to achieve a democratic, pluralistic regime that represents all segments of the Syrian people ... the Syrian people should decide their own fate without foreign interference." Zebari confirmed that Iraq and Britain support the assignment of the Arab International envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi. Iraq called for a peaceful solution for the conflict in Syria and has refused arming the Syrian opposition forces. Iraq has also provided an initiative during the Non-Alignment Movement summit (NAM) that was held in the Iranian capital Tehran last month. The initiative includes the formation of a transitional government and all parties should agree on the person who will be in charge of it. It also calls to adopt regional and international charter that promises not to allow religious, national, or sectarian extremism.