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'Friends of Syria' group set for London talks UK's William Hague attacks Assad's Syria elections plan
(about 9 hours later)
Foreign ministers from 11 Western and Arab nations are due to meet in London to discuss new ways of supporting the Syrian opposition. Presidential elections in Syria will be a "parody of democracy", UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.
The Friends of Syria group will also discuss the country's dire humanitarian situation. US Secretary of State John Kerry is among those attending. Mr Hague said Syria's government had an "utter disregard" for life, and President Bashar al-Assad decision to call an election for 3 June "disgusted" the international community.
The meeting comes days after UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi stepped down over lack of progress in ending the crisis. The foreign secretary also announced the Syrian opposition would have its diplomatic status in the UK upgraded.
Syria's three-year conflict has left some 150,000 people dead.Syria's three-year conflict has left some 150,000 people dead.
The Friends of Syria group is made up of Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US. The UK is continuing to push for President Assad to stand down, but he has sought a third seven-year term in the elections.
It was set up in 2012 in response to moves by Russia and China to block UN resolutions on Syria. 'Illegitimate'
A UK Foreign Office spokesman said it was "the right time" for countries who support a democratic future for Syria to come together. Mr Hague hosted a meeting of the The Friends of Syria group - made up of Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US - in London.
"Foreign ministers will discuss how best to significantly step-up our support to the Syrian opposition, make urgent progress on improving the deteriorating humanitarian crisis and reinvigorate a political process that has stalled due to regime intransigence," the spokesman said. Afterwards, he said: "We are of course united in our disgust and anger at what's happening in Syria and the ruthless utter disregard for human life."
Thursday's meeting is the first time the group has met since January. The group agreed a short communique criticising the decision to hold an election at a time when millions of people were displaced and the bloodshed was continuing.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall says that since then, peace talks in Geneva have collapsed; Mr Brahimi has stepped down and rebel forces inside Syria have lost ground to President Bashar al-Assad. Mr Hague called on the whole international community to "reject these illegitimate elections", saying: "We've also agreed unanimously to take further steps to... do everything we can to hold the Assad regime accountable for the terror it is perpetrating."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the "hopelessly divided" international community was partly to blame for leaving Mr Brahimi battling "almost impossible odds" in brokering a peace deal. He promised the UK government would increase its humanitarian efforts, with £30m of extra funding, in particular aimed at getting to areas which the United Nations has not yet been able to help.
Efforts to reconvene peace talks were dealt a fresh blow when Mr Assad announced presidential elections for 3 June. He is seeking a third seven-year term. Friends of Syria was set up in 2012 in response to moves by Russia and China to block UN resolutions against the Assad government.
The idea was dismissed by the US as "a parody of democracy" and Mr Ban said it could torpedo efforts to broker a peace deal. The meeting comes days after UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi stepped down over lack of progress in ending the crisis.