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David Cameron to urge Putin to help get movement on Syria David Cameron to hold Syria talks with Russia's Putin
(about 2 hours later)
David Cameron says he will be asking President Vladimir Putin to help get movement on an international deal for peace in Syria, when they meet later. David Cameron says he will ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to help get movement on an international deal for peace in Syria, when they meet shortly.
The PM will meet the Russian President for talks in London ahead of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland. The PM is set to meet Mr Putin for talks in London ahead of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland.
He said no decision had been made in the UK to follow the US in arming Syrian rebels, but said there must be pressure on President Assad. He said no decision had been made in the UK to follow the US in arming Syrian rebels.
Two years of civil war in Syria has left an estimated 93,000 people dead. Some Tory MPs have expressed hostility to the idea and the deputy PM Nick Clegg has also signalled his concern.
On Friday the US announced it would supply some rebels with direct military aid after seeing evidence of chemical weapons use by the Assad regime. But Russia, a long-time backer of the Assad regime, said it was not convinced.
Mr Cameron told Sky News that everyone wanted to see movement on a peace conference on Syria, leading to a transitional government, but the disagreement was about "how we get there".Mr Cameron told Sky News that everyone wanted to see movement on a peace conference on Syria, leading to a transitional government, but the disagreement was about "how we get there".
'Very dangerous' On Friday, the US announced it would supply some rebels with direct military aid after seeing evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Mr Cameron stressed that no decision had been made in the UK to arm the rebels but added it was "right to send a very clear message to Assad that the shouldn't think he can just win this conflict in a military way". Moscow strongly opposes Western moves to arm moderate rebel groups and has said it will supply President Assad with advanced anti-aircraft missiles.
He admitted there were "unscrupulous" and "very dangerous" elements within the Syrian opposition, who he would like to see "driven out of Syria", but if the West did not work with moderate elements who supported a "free" and "pluralistic" system - then only the extreme elements would make any progress. 'Clear message'
On whether there would be a vote in Parliament - an issue on which Mr Cameron faces pressure from his own backbenchers - he said: "I never want to stand in the way of Parliament having a say one way or another" but added: "We are not there yet, we have not made that decision". Mr Cameron said no decision had been taken on whether the UK would follow the US's lead, promising any such move would be the subject of a vote in Parliament.
And he said where the UK could give the greatest assistance to the "official proper Syrian opposition" was in advice, training and technical support. It is "right to send a very clear message to Assad that he shouldn't think he can just win this conflict in a military way", he told the Murnaghan programme.
'Non-lethal' Mr Cameron said there were "unscrupulous" and "very dangerous" elements within the Syrian opposition, who he would like to see "driven out of Syria", but if the West did not work with moderate elements who supported a "free" and "pluralistic" system - then only the extreme elements would make any progress.
Earlier his Lib Dem deputy, Nick Clegg, also told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme that no decision had been taken in the UK to arm the Syrian rebels. "If we don't work with those elements of the Syrian opposition, then we can't be surprised if the only elements of the Syrian opposition that are getting, that are actually making any progress in Syria, are the ones that we don't approve of," he said.
"We need to work in concert with our allies but we don't all need to do the identical thing," he said. "After all, they are trying to defend their communities against appalling attacks, including, let's be clear, chemical weapon attacks."
"We are providing non-lethal assistance, we have taken no decision to provide lethal assistance. He said where the UK could give the greatest assistance to the "official proper Syrian opposition" was in advice, training and technical support, such as providing vehicles.
"We clearly don't think it is the right thing to do now otherwise we would have decided to do it." 'Shameful' move
Mr Cameron will also meet US President Barack Obama ahead of the summit. Earlier his Lib Dem deputy, Nick Clegg, told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme expressed his reservations over arming Syrian rebels.
"We clearly don't think it is the right thing to do now otherwise we would have decided to do it," he said.
Mr Cameron has been facing growing pressure from his own backbenchers to hold a vote in Parliament on the issue.
"It would be possible but very unwise for the prime minister to go ahead and do this behind Parliament's back, for example during the recess without recalling Parliament, but that would be a shameful thing to do," Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, told BBC Radio 4's the World This Weekend.
On the same programme, Party chairman Michael Fallon, said the Commons "should certainly have a say if there's to be any new British action".
Earlier, Mr Cameron said: "I never want to stand in the way of Parliament having a say one way or another... [but] we are not there yet, we have not made that decision."
Russia has made it clear it is deeply sceptical about US, British and French claims that the Syrian military has used chemical weapons against the rebels.Russia has made it clear it is deeply sceptical about US, British and French claims that the Syrian military has used chemical weapons against the rebels.
Moscow could now go ahead with plans to provide sophisticated new air defences to the Syrian regime.Moscow could now go ahead with plans to provide sophisticated new air defences to the Syrian regime.
'Same club''Same club'
Britain's former ambassador to Russia, Sir Andrew Wood, told BBC Radio 5 live he did not expect Mr Cameron to achieve a great deal during the meeting but it was still "important for President Putin to hear things he doesn't want to hear".Britain's former ambassador to Russia, Sir Andrew Wood, told BBC Radio 5 live he did not expect Mr Cameron to achieve a great deal during the meeting but it was still "important for President Putin to hear things he doesn't want to hear".
Vladimir Kara-Murza, from the opposition People's Freedom Party in Russia, said Mr Putin and Mr Assad belonged to the same "club".
"It's the dwindling club of the world's dictators, and his affinity and his self-identification is certainly with people like Bashar al-Assad," he said.
Two years of civil war in Syria has left an estimated 93,000 people dead.
The G8 summit - a meeting of eight global leaders to address international issues - takes place in Lough Erne, County Fermanagh on Monday and Tuesday.The G8 summit - a meeting of eight global leaders to address international issues - takes place in Lough Erne, County Fermanagh on Monday and Tuesday.
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US and the UK will be represented.Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US and the UK will be represented.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, from the opposition People's Freedom Party in Russia, said Mr Putin and Mr Assad belonged to the same "club". Mr Cameron will also meet President Obama ahead of the summit.
"It's the dwindling club of the world's dictators, and his affinity and his self-identification is certainly with people like Bashar al-Assad."