“These should be the forces of the Free Syrian Army, Sunni Arab forces and the forces of the regime (of Bashar al-Assad) – why not?” he said adding yet again that, from the standpoint of Paris, the current Syrian president “cannot be part of this country’s future”.
Advertisement
Al-Moallem also seized on comments made by Fabius Friday in which he suggested France could work with Syrian government forces to fight the Islamic State group.
“The cooperation of all Syrian forces, including the Syrian army, against Daesh (Islamic State) is obviously welcomed, but, as I have constantly said, it will only be possible in the framework of a political transition”, Laurent Fabius said in a statement.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem seized on Fabius’ proposal, saying it was “better late than never”.
A Raqqa-based activist group that reports on IS, known as Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, said most of Friday’s casualties occurred when warplanes targeted the city’s Heten School.
But his words were also seen as further proof that France’s position on Syria is shifting. The extremist group claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt, when all 224 people onboard were killed, as well as the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
A day before Fabius’ remarks, French President Francois Hollande and his Russiancounterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to coordinate strikes against ISIL and share information on who to strike.
The 19-month conflict plunged ties between Russian Federation and the West to post Cold War lows as Moscow was accused of sending troops and weapons to support the rebels and hit with heavy sanctions.
Advertisement
Putin said such a move would “unite our efforts against the common evil”.
