U.S. Syria strike plan receives weak resonance from G20 leaders

ST. PETERSBURG. September 7. KAZINFORM - World leaders gathering at a Group of Twenty (G20) summit remained highly skeptical and divided on Friday over a U.S. military strike plan against Syriaadvocated by President Barack Obama, Kazinform has learned from Xinhua.
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G20 leaders adopted a joint declaration after the two-day event, calling for measures to promote sustainable growth and high- quality job creation and reaching consensus that the global economy was on the mend but not out of crisis.

The joint declaration failed to mention the discussion outcomes of the Syria crisis, although Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked for 20 minutes one-one-one on the sidelines of the summit on Friday following a tense group discussion on the Syrian conflict over dinner late Thursday.

Syria became a hot topic for discussion during the two-day event, which was primarily designed as a multilateral floor addressing pressing global economic affairs.

Obama attempted to use the summit to persuade allies and gain support of a possible military action against Syria to punish its government for alleged use of chemical weapons, but found himself in a somewhat awkward and lonely position.

The U.S. president believed that a military strike against Syria would be "the right thing to do for the security of America and the world," though it might not be so popular.

"There are times where we have to make hard choices if we are going to stand up for the things we care about," Obama told a press conference on Friday. He argued that the failure to respond to the purported chemical attack would harm the international norm banning the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Putin, host of the summit and a strong objector to military action on Syria, extended a last-minute invitation to leaders to air their views during a summit dinner on Thursday.

Three hours' discussion ended in vain. The participants found the only thing they'd confirmed was the division among them on the issue.

On Friday, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that G20 leaders remained divided during their working dinner over the settlement of the Syrian conflict, with an equal number of supporting and opposing urgent measures regardless of legitimate international authorization.

Putin told a press conference later Friday that the half-half division over Syria was not accurate, naming the United States , Turkey, Canada, Saudi Arabia and France as countries backing military operation against Syria, while Russia, China, India, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Italy opposed the possible action.

British Prime Minister David Cameron had advocated a military solution in Syria but its parliament ruled out the option, Putin said. "The German federal chancellor is also extremely cautious.Germany is not going to get involved into any military operations. "

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also opposed military actions against Syria without a UN mandate, Putin said.

The UN chief, on the sidelines of the summit, warned against further militarization of the Syria conflict, citing grave consequences particularly in the humanitarian sector.

He expressed hope that policymakers from the G20 developed and developing economies could recognize the need for a political solution to a tragic and prolonged humanitarian crisis in the conflict-torn country.

The European Union (EU), represented by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, also warned against a military operation in Syria on Thursday, siding itself closely with Putin over the response to the chemical attack allegations.

Van Rompuy said only a diplomatic solution could end the " terrible bloodshed" in Syria, while Barroso called for joint international efforts via UN in dealing with the Syria crisis.

Putin said the allegation of chemical weapons use in Syria was provocation of militants hoping for external support.

It was a provocation by the opposition fighters "who expect assistance from the outside; I mean assistance from the countries that have supported them from the very start. This is the essence of this provocation," he said.

Putin reiterated that the use of force against a sovereign state is possible only for the purpose of self-defense or under a UN Security Council sanction.

Asked whether Russia will help Syria if the Middle East country suffers from an outside attack, Putin said, "We will help Syria." Moscow has been fulfilling its arms contract with Damascus, Putin said, adding it will strengthen cooperation with Syria in the humanitarian sector by providing humanitarian aid for civilians who were in grave conditions.

Russia supplies Damascus with arms, including some components of S-300 air defense system, in line with previous contracts, Putin told reporters prior to the summit.

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