US Secretary of State, John Kerry said on Sunday that differences between allies on Syria were just ‘tactics,” in remarks that were criticized by Damascus as flagrant violation of Syria affairs.
US Secretary of State, John Kerry said on Sunday that differences between allies on Syria were just ‘tactics,” in remarks that were criticized by Damascus as flagrant violation of Syria affairs.
Speak
ing from Cairo, at the start of an 11-day tour aimed at shoring up ties with Arab nations that have frayed in part over the war in Syria, Kerry said there “are some countries ... that wanted the United States to do one thing in respect to Syria and we have done something else."
a joint press conference with Egyptian foreign minister Nabil Fahmy.
But he insisted: "Those differences on individual tactics on policy do not mean a difference on (the) fundamental goal of the policy.
"We all share the same goal ... that is the salvation of the state of Syria and a transition government put in place...that can give the people of Syria the opportunity to choose their future," Kerry added during a joint press conference with Egyptian foreign minister Nabil Fahmy.
Few hours later, Syria slammed the remarks, saying they could cause proposed peace talks on the 31-month conflict to fail.
A statement by foreign ministry said that remarks by Kerry "threaten to cause the failure of the Geneva conference, are a flagrant violation of Syrian affairs and an aggression against the Syrian people's right to decide their future."
"If the United States is sincere in its cooperation with Russia, Kerry must understand that only the Syrian people have the right to choose its political future, without foreign intervention," the ministry said.
"The success of (the proposed peace conference) Geneva II depends solely on the Syrians' willingness to reach an agreement amongst each other to put an end to violence and terrorism, and to reach a political solution," the statement added.
