Merkel Regrets China, Russia Boycott of Syria Meeting
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday she regretted decisions by China and Russia to boycott a "Friends of Syria" group meeting but that other world powers should not fall silent as a result.
"It is not a good sign when two powers do not take part in such conferences," Merkel told reporters after talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati, when asked about the gathering Friday in Paris.
"But on the other hand we cannot always hinge everything on these countries -- that means it is better when all participate but I think we must go step-by-step here and keep trying to involve others."
China joined Russia Thursday in boycotting the meeting aimed at coordinating efforts to stop the bloody strife in Syria. Both powers are veto-wielding permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.
Russia, a long-time ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, announced its decision after accusing the West of seeking to distort a weekend deal by world powers in Geneva aimed at achieving a transition of power.
The Paris meeting follows one in Tunis in February and another in April in Istanbul, both of which called in vain for tougher action against Assad's government.
The United States, France, Britain, Germany and Arab nations Saudi Arabia and Qatar are leaders of the "Friends of Syria", which has more than 60 members, including most EU states and many Arab League countries.
China backed Russia in Geneva on insisting that Syrians must decide how the transition should be carried out, rather than allow others to dictate their fate, and did not rule out Assad remaining in power in some form.
Merkel reiterated Thursday that Germany believed it would be "difficult" to achieve a peaceful solution with Assad at the helm.
After talks with his German counterpart Thursday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Merkel had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin last month to offer Assad asylum but that Moscow had dismissed the idea as a "joke".
Source: Agence France Presse
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