Europe

Europe

British Foreign Secretary tells Syrian opposition to "unite"

21 November 2011 19:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Monday called on Syrian opposition groups to "unite" against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, APA reports.

Hague made the statement after meeting with Syrian opposition representatives in London on Monday.

"At an extreme moment in their nation’s history, it is important for opposition groups to be able to put aside their own differences and come to a united view of the way forward," he told a press conference.

But he said Britain was not ready to recognize the Syrian opposition as the country’s legitimate government.

"We are not at the point of a formal recognition, partly because there are differing groups not a single council as there was in Libya. They are not in control of territory in Syria as the council was in Libya and the international community has not reached that point," Hague said.

Monday’s meeting was not the first between the British government and Syrian opposition groups, but was seen as the most significant yet, as it is being attended by Hague rather than more junior officials.

According to the United Nations, more than 3,500 people have so far been killed in clashes between Syrian government troops and opposition forces this year.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has blamed armed militants for violent protests, and has warned against any foreign intervention in Syria, saying it could destabilize the whole region.