LOC16:40
13:40 GMT
PARIS, Nov 12 (KUNA) -- French authorities said on Monday that Paris
recognises the right of the Syrian people to defend itself against attack and
repression by Damascus, but France would not commit on the question of
supplying weapons to the opposition forces in the field.
While welcoming the formation of a broader coalition of Syrian opposition
parties and forces in the field in Syria, France has not said it will give
anything but "non-lethal" support to those seeking to oust the regime of
Bashar Al-Assad.
France earlier called for as many Syrians as possible to rally behind the
new coalition forces, which bring together many of the disparate groups both
inside and outside Syria.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius also called in an earlier statement for the
international community to recognise the new opposition leadership which he
said was "a credible alternative" to the Assad regime.
"We wish that this coalition can be rapidly bolstered by getting the
broadest support possible from Syrians as from the international community,"
Foreign Ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said Monday.
Asked about more aid now that the opposition has better unity, Lalliot said
that France would stick with its international and European commitments in
this area.
"France is willing to increase, in liaison with this new coalition, its
assistance to the Syrian people," he said.
He indicated this was being done for several months already through
infrastructure and reconstruction support being given on a bilateral basis to
Civil Revolutionary Councils in a number of "liberated" areas but also in
areas that are still in dispute between the Syrian army and opposition forces.
France is also supplying food and medical aid and previously said it would
provide non-lethal assistance to the Syrian fighters.
"We recognise the right of the Syrian people to defend itself against the
aggressions of the criminal regime in Damascus and the brutal repression of
its democratic aspirations," Lalliot affirmed. (end)
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KUNA 121640 Nov 12NNNN