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| Davutoglu and Kerry |
In a statement
concluding talks among the pro-opposition "Friends of Syria" group in
Istanbul, Secretary of State John Kerry announced Washington’s intention to
double non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, as well as provide
additional humanitarian aid to Syrians in need.
The State Department says
in a written statement:
The
new non-lethal assistance underscores the United States’ firm support for a
political solution to the crisis in Syria and for the opposition’s advancement
of an inclusive, tolerant vision for a post-Assad Syria.
The
United States will work with the Syrian Coalition and other opposition
representatives to determine how the new $123 million in non-lethal assistance
can best support their efforts to meet the needs of the Syrian people and lead
the way to a political transition that will bring an end to this conflict, and
build the inclusive, democratic Syria that its people deserve.
This
new pledge brings our total non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition and
civil society groups to $250 million.
The
United States will also use a portion of this non-lethal assistance to
implement President Obama’s directive to provide an expanded range of support
to the Supreme Military Council (SMC). We intend to expand this new support
beyond military food rations and medical kits to include other types of
non-lethal supplies, which would be determined in collaboration with SMC
leadership.
Secretary
Kerry urged international partners gathered in Istanbul, as well as all Friends
of the Syrian People, to make similar pledges of assistance to the Coalition
and the Supreme Military Council with the goal of reaching $1 billion in total
international support for the opposition.
In
recognition of the devastating humanitarian situation as a result of the crisis
in Syria, Secretary Kerry also announced nearly $25 million in additional food
assistance for the Syrian people.
This
aid will provide 25,500 metric tons of wheat – providing four months’ supply of
flour to over one million people – as well as food rations for those inside
Syria and refugees in Jordan affected by the violence.
The
United Nations World Food Program will begin distributing the wheat to those in
need in all 14 Syrian governorates as quickly as possible.
The
United States is the largest donor of food assistance both within Syria and for
refugees in the affected neighboring countries and is providing a total of over
$409 million in humanitarian assistance for the Syrian crisis.
But
the U.S. pledge fell short of opposition demands for foreign backers to supply
the rebels with arms, institute a no-fly zone and carry out airstrikes on
positions used by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime to launch ballistic missiles
on civilian areas.
Top diplomats from the
11-nation core group of the "Friends of Syria" -- including the
United States, Turkey, Britain, Italy, Germany, France,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the UAE --
took part in the more than six hours of talks in Istanbul on Saturday.
Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later told a joint press conference with
Kelly that two documents were distributed to the media representatives.
One is a declaration by
the Syrian National Coalition envisioning Syria’s future, and the second is a
joint statement by the 11 foreign ministers.
The full text of the
latter statement is nowhere to be found on the Internet today, not even the Turkish
Foreign Ministry’s website or Facebook page.
But according to newswire
excerpts, the 11 ministers:
- Reaffirmed firm support for a political solution in Syria based on the June 2012 Geneva communiqué.
- Restated that Assad and his close associates have no place in Syria’s future and must cede power to a transitional executive body.
- Welcomed the Arab League decision to transfer Syria’s seat to the Coalition.
- Warned that foreign support for the opposition would grow if Assad continued to rebuff efforts to find a political solution to Syria's crisis. "If the Syrian regime rejects this opportunity, further announcements regarding expanding our assistance will follow.”
- Welcomed the Coalition's "firm rejection of extremism and its commitment not to use chemical weapons.”
- Recognized the "need to change the balance of power on the ground" and pledged to "enhance and expand their support to all coalition institutions," including increased support to the coalition's Supreme Military Council.
- Urged the United Nations to immediately investigate “allegations” chemical weapons had been used in Syria, promising "severe consequences" if the claims proved to be true.
