Syria rebels must distance themselves from "terrorists" - Westerwelle

Source : Strategic-Culture.org

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Saturday the Syrian opposition must distance itself from "terrorist and extremist" forces and said Germany was sceptical about supplying weapons to the rebels.

"We expect from the opposition that they clearly distance themselves in Syria from terrorist and extremist forces," Westerwelle told reporters in Istanbul at a meeting of Syrian opposition leaders and their international backers.

"We are sceptical as the German government when it comes to delivering weapons because we are concerned that weapons could fall into the wrong, namely extremist, hands, but it is a matter that must now be discussed in the European Union."

EU divided on arms supply to Syria terrorists destroying the country

Source  : Islamic Invitation Turkey

European foreign ministers have failed to reach an agreement on whether to lift an arms embargo on militants in Syria.

The division among the European counties was pushed to bold relief on Friday as the European ministers started two days of informal talks at Dublin Castle.

The European Union should decide on the thorny issue of arms supply on June 1 when Syria sanctions are largely expected to be renewed.

“In order to support a diplomatic and political settlement which is essential for peaceful transition, it will be necessary for us to increase the support that we give” to the opposition in Syria, British Foreign Secretary William Hague was quoted as saying.

“That’s an option for the UK and France, both countries have said that, but our emphasis is on making sure we keep agreement in the EU. That’s what we have been focusing on so far and we’ll have discussions on that,” he said.

Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore hinted that his country would oppose arms shipment to Syria, warning that more guns to the militants would cause more casualties.

“I think further militarization in Syria would certainly not be helpful. The more guns, the more arms that go into Syria, the more casualties there will be,” he said.

Germany, Austria, Sweden and other states expressed concern that arming the militants in Syria would spread the deadly conflict in that country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.

The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.

Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.

Russian, German officials against arming Syrian rebels

Source : Voice of Russia

Russia is concerned with the intention of several Western countries to arm the Syrian opposition, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov says.

In his Twitter blog, Mr. Gatilov wrote that arming the Syrian rebels contradicts the same countries’ statements that they want stability in Syria.

Earlier, Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called on European countries not to arm the Syrian opposition. Otherwise, there will be a threat that the conflict in Syria may spread to other countries, Mr. Westerwelle believes.

This was Mr. Westerwelle’s reaction to a statement of his French counterpart Laurent Fabius, who said on Thursday that if the EU does not lift the embargo on supplies of weapons to Syria, France and the UK will arm the Syrian opposition on a unilateral basis.

Voice of Russia, TASS, RIA

France Confirms “Substantial” New Offer to Iran over Nuclear Program

Source : http://www.almanar.com.lb

France on Thursday confirmed that world powers will make a "substantial" new offer to Iran over its nuclear program at talks next week in Kazakhstan.

"We will make a new offer that will contain significant new elements," the French foreign ministry's deputy spokesman, Vincent Floreani, said.

The next round of talks with Iran under the "P5+1" format -- UN Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- will be held on February 26 in Almaty after a long gap.

"We hope that Iran will attend this meeting with a constructive spirit and will be ready to discuss, in detail and with a renewed perspective, aspects of its nuclear program that remain to be clarified," he said. "We want a true exchange, leading to concrete results," Floreani said.

A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters in London on Wednesday of the plan to make the "serious and substantial" new offer to Iran.

These latest talks follow three rounds of negotiations in 2012, the last in Moscow in June. Iran walked away because the P5+1 stopped short of offering Tehran relief from UN Security Council and unilateral Western sanctions.

Assad’s resignation no precondition for Syria peace talks

Source : Russia  Voice of Russia

Russia will never agree to setting President Bashar Assad’s resignation as a precondition for peace talks between the Syrian warring parties.

This came Tuesday in a statement by the head of Russian Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Alexei Pushkov.

Mr. Pushkov said the Kremlin would never accept a “first Assad’s resignation, then talks” formula. “I don’t think the Syrian leadership would agree to it either,” he added.

Russia, France see more eye to eye on Syria

Russia and France see more eye to eye on Syria, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Committee chief Alexei Pushkov told reporters on Wednesday.

Addressing the 17th meeting of the Russian-French inter- parliamentary committee, Mr. Pushkov said Russia’s Western partners were beginning to see that President Assad’s resignation wasn’t a silver bullet for the Syrian crisis.

“French MPs seem to be more aware of the fact that anti-West radical Islamists are trying to capitalize on the Syrian turmoil,” the Russian foreign official said. “During parliamentary debates, they were very frank about sharing Russia’s stance,” he added.

France’s Elisabeth Guigou, who heads the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee, said it was inadmissible to allow the existing chaos in Syria to be replaced by a bigger chaos. “Political discrepancies shouldn’t stand in the way of a goal common for Russia and France, which is the end of bloodshed,” Ms. Guigou stressed.

UN vows to continue efforts to establish dialog in Syria

The UN will continue to support efforts to establish a dialogue between the government and the opposition in Syria, confrontation between which has continued since March 2011.

This was reported by an official representative of the organization, Martin Nesirky. "We need to continue to support these efforts at all levels, and do everything to stop the violence and start a dialogue," - he said, referring to the agreement of Syrian opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib to negotiate with the Syrian government.

According to Nesirky, no one suggests that it will be easy, just as “it was not easy to achieve what has already been achieved".

Earlier, the opposition rejected any possibility of negotiations, unless it involved resignation of President Assad.

Newsfeed - Iran: IRGC Rear Admiral Fadavi: "Dark Days await US forces in case of an Attack against Iran

Via Breaking News.com Asenior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps says dark days await US forces in case of an attack against Iran. Referring to the mine-sweeping drill held by the United States near the Persian Gulf, IRGC Navy Commander Rear-Admiral Ali Fadavi said, “We keep a moment-by-moment watch on every move of the Americans.” “Over the past years, we have not neglected to enhance our naval capabilities, particularly in the field of mines, and these capabilities are unimaginable to the Americans,” the Iranian commander added. “Our missile-equipped speedboats are only a small part of our naval capabilities and each of these vessels can be effective in fighting huge US warships,” Fadavi said. Fadavi added that only Britain, France, Japan and the United Arab Emirates have joined the US in the Persian Gulf maneuver and other countries merely attend the meetings and conferences related to the exercise. He said the latest estimates suggest that 64 US vessels are present in the region, adding that the Americans claim, however, that 20 of the vessels are participating in the drill. He added that Six British, French, two Japanese and two Emirati ships are also taking part in the maneuver. The US anti-mine exercises began on September 16 and are scheduled to wrap up on September 27. The US Navy claims that the exercises are purely defensive and not directed at any country.

U.S., Israeli navies hold joint Med maneuvers in tense times

English.news.cn 2012-08-20 04:31:48 JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) --Israeli and American naval counterparts spent the last week holding a joint search-and-rescue exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, which included live fire and seaborne helicopters landings. The "Reliant Mermaid" drill also tested the U.S. Navy's destroyer-mounted Aegis-missile defense system, which, theoretically, could defend Israel against Iranian missiles. However, the Americans were quick to point out that the annual drill -which, while not held for the last three years -was unconnected with the escalating psychological war of nerves between Israel and Iran. "Reliant Mermaid is a regularly scheduled exercise and is not associated with, or a reaction to any real world events," a Navy Public Affairs Office spokesman said. Between 2000 and 2009, this type of exercise was conducted annually, with another participant -the Turkish navy.

However, the drill was postponed following the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, in which Israeli commandos battled and killed nine armed Turkish protesters, who were trying to break a maritime blockade over the Gaza Strip. Both parties, however, summarized the drill as a success and said it bettered military ties between the countries' navies. "This was a successful exercise which strengthened the bonds between the U.S. and Israeli navies and increased our ability to work together as a team," said American Commanding Officer David A. Bretz. "It was really great to get to see the differences between our navy and the U.S.," Israeli Navy Cpl. Niv Bar-Ilan told The Jerusalem Post. Lauding his American swabbie counterparts, Bar-Ilan said, "We' re very appreciative of the crew's hospitality and thank them for teaching us their individual jobs on board."

Strategic analysis in the context of Iran / Syria to follow the next time

I will think of Syria after attack on the opposite of proximal Turkey via Aleppo in the north and the south of France troops, the EU, NATO attack by U.S. / Israel, Syria in the second week of November, with air force and naval vessels. Israel will move with troops via the Golan to Damascus, then to use a proximal maneuver as a copy and follow in the attack on Iran.  Do not forget the wine message from Interfax in context Russian naval base of Tartus. -
The aspect in the context of Hezbollah, the Lebanon - North, the border of Gaza / Rafah to Egypt is not without value. Here are the weak point of the Israeli army 's defense ?  In the north, Hezbollah is firing rockets 60.000.
In Gaza, many Muslims are will attack Israel via Egypt/Rafah. No one knows the consequence of what it means to attack the U.S. / Israel and Iran and NATO .  China will never allow a lot of troops on its western boundary.
Nor should we forget the invitation of President Assad in the context of China in recent days .  China already knew from Syria's exclusion from the OIC ?
Two weeks ago, China has already sent two frigates into the Mediterranean via the Suez . 1 week later the UK and France before making maneuvers Cyprus -Turkey- Italy!