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Wednesday 20 december 2017 WORLD NEWS
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Macron slams Assad for comments on France supporting terror

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN right to talk about peace,
Associated Press let alone the right to inter-
PARIS (AP) — French presi- fere in the Syrian affairs.
dent Emmanuel Macron hit All these statements mean
back on Tuesday at Syrian nothing to us and have no
counterpart Bashar Assad’s value.” Macron landed an-
allegations that France other blow to Assad when
supported terrorism in Syria, he stated that the Syrian
insisting that the US-led in- leader is “the enemy” of
ternational coalition should millions of Syrians in exile “in
be credited for the military Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey,
successes against the Is- across Europe, in Canada,
lamic State. the United States.” “These
Speaking after a meeting Syrians have an enemy,
with NATO secretary gen- and he is called Bashar
eral Jens Stoltenberg, Ma- Assad,” Macron said. Ma-
cron said that Assad’s com- cron however reiterated
ments were “unaccept- that Assad should be in-
able” because France’s volved in the peace pro-
priority is “the war against cess. “If we want to build
Daesh,” using an Arabic a political peace process
term for the group. that will bring stability to
“If anyone has fought, and Syria, we should get all par-
can win by the end of Feb- French President Emmanuel Macron gestures during a news conference with NATO Secretary- ties to the table,” Macron
ruary against Daesh, it’s General Jens Stoltenberg at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday Dec. 19, 2017. said. During a news confer-
the international coalition,” (Philippe Wojazer, Pool via AP) ence with King Abdullah II
Macron said. “All others to comments made by Assad can’t be ignored in rorism in Syria,” Assad told of Jordan later Tuesday in
have been ambiguous. All Assad, who said earlier this the aftermath of a military journalists. “France’s hands Paris, Macron added that
others have had priorities, week that France had no victory but must one day are covered in Syrian blood he would be extremely
which were targeting politi- right to be involved in the answer for his crimes, and it has no right to evalu- cautious about any future
cal opposition, and not the peace process following a “Since the beginning, ate any peace confer- negotiation with Assad’s re-
terrorists.” TV interview during which France has been the spear- ence. Those who support gime because of its use of
Macron was reacting the French president said head of supporting ter- terrorism do not have the “chemical weapons.”q
Austria walks back double-citizenship plan after Italy balks

BERLIN (AP) — Austrian and the populist, right-wing the region’s residents speak nomic autonomy, was a ance with the region’s eth-
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Freedom Party only would German, 25 percent Italian long and uneasy one, as nic minorities were aroused
on Tuesday sought to al- be pursued “in close coor- and 5 percent Ladino. South Tyrol politicians with by the citizenship proposal
lay Italian fears over a gov- dination” with Italy. South Tyrol, known as Alto the backing of Austria released over the week-
ernment proposal to offer An undersecretary in Italy’s Adige in Italian, became sought to create more dis- end.
citizenship mainly to Ger- foreign ministry, Benedetto part of Italy after World tance from Rome. The concerns heightened
man-speakers in a northern Della Vedova, welcomed War I, but tension lingered An era of secession-driven Monday when Werner Neu-
Italian region that was for- the softening of the Austri- for decades after a post- terrorism that started in the bauer, the Freedom Party
merly part of the Austrian- an position. World War II vote by citi- 1960s followed. But even official in charge of rela-
Hungarian Empire. He said Italy had read the zens on whether to remain once the violence quieted, tions with Alto Adige, said
After Italian politicians proposal to grant Austrian in Italy or join Austria. decades of resentment during a visit to Bolzano,
balked at the unilateral citizenship en masse to The “remain” vote won, by locals toward Italian- in northern Italy, that Ger-
proposal, Kurz said the citi- speakers of German and while dissenters relocated speaking visitors ensued, man- and Ladino-speakers
zenship offer outlined in the Romance language to Austria. Still, the post-war with petty acts of vandal- would be able to request
the coalition government Ladino in the South Tyrol agreement to remain part ism common. Austrian citizenship next
agreement between his region as a provocative of Italy, which included Italian fears over Austria year and receive it as soon
Austrian People’s party move. Seventy percent of broad political and eco- upsetting a hard-won bal- as early 2019.q