France 'pessimistic' on Syria future
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 15 December 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, France 'pessimistic' on Syria future, 15 December 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/52e659f21b.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 15, 2013
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
France's foreign minister says the "moderate" opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government is facing "serious difficulty," and that he's "pessimistic" about Syria's future.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he has "doubts" about whether United Nations-backed peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition will make progress.
The government and opposition, along with regional states and world powers, are scheduled to gather for talks in Switzerland in the last week of January.
France has been one of the leading backers of the Syrian opposition and has recognized the opposition Syrian National Coalition as the sole representative of the Syrian people.
However, moderate opposition forces favored by Western states have been facing challenges from both government troops and Islamist fighters who are also seeking to overthrow the government.
Based on reports from AFP and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
