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UK's William Hague attacks Assad's Syria elections plan | UK's William Hague attacks Assad's Syria elections plan |
(35 minutes later) | |
Presidential elections in Syria will be a "parody of democracy", UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said. | Presidential elections in Syria will be a "parody of democracy", UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said. |
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. | 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 foreign secretary also announced the Syrian opposition would have its diplomatic status in the UK upgraded. | 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 UK is continuing to push for President Assad to stand down, but he has sought a third seven-year term in the elections. | The UK is continuing to push for President Assad to stand down, but he has sought a third seven-year term in the elections. |
'Illegitimate' | 'Illegitimate' |
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. | 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. |
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." | 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." |
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. | 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. |
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." | 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." |
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. | 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. |
In a separate media briefing, US Secretary of State John Kerry commented on France's claim that the Assad government has used chemical weapons at least 14 times since October. | |
He said he had seen "raw data that suggests that there may have been... a number of instances in which chlorine has been used in the conduct of war". | |
Mr Kerry added: "If it has, and it could be proven, then that would be against the agreements of the chemical weapons treaty and against the weapons convention that Syria has signed up to." | |
"Out of today's meeting, every facet of what can be done is going to be ramped up - every facet. That includes political effort. It includes aid to the opposition. It includes economic efforts, sanctions," he said. | |
Friends of Syria was set up in 2012 in response to moves by Russia and China to block UN resolutions against the Assad government. | 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 meeting comes days after UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi stepped down over lack of progress in ending the crisis. | The meeting comes days after UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi stepped down over lack of progress in ending the crisis. |