Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY
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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 9 May 2017
Syria rejects international forces in safe zones
By BASSEM MROUE said he hoped the agree-
Associated Press ment struck in Kazakhstan
BEIRUT (AP) — Syria on would be fully implement-
Monday dismissed the ed, to achieve “significant
idea of foreign forces pa- de-escalation in violence”
trolling four so-called de- and help underpin the po-
escalation zones that are litical talks in the Swiss city.
to be established under a The cease-fire deal went
deal struck by Russia, Iran into effect over the week-
and Turkey, suggesting Da- end, bringing a general
mascus would agree only reduction in violence, but
to Russian “military police” clashes continued, particu-
who are already on the larly in central Syria. Russia
ground. and Iran, which support
Syria planned to abide Assad, and Turkey, which
by the agreement signed backs the rebels, may de-
in Kazakhstan last week, ploy armed forces to se-
Foreign Minister Walid al- cure the four so-called
Moallem told reporters in “de-escalation zones,” in
the Syrian capital, but he what would amount to un-
cautioned it was “prema- precedented coordination
ture” to say whether the between the three region-
deal would succeed. al powers.The U.N. Secu-
“There will be no presence Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, rity Council president says
by any international forces Monday, May 8, 2017. al-Moallem says militants must be purged out of safe zones envisaged by Russia wants a vote early
supervised by the United an agreement signed by Russia, Turkey and Iran on four so-called “de-escalation” areas. this week on a resolution
(SANA via AP)
Nations,” al-Moallem said. supporting the deal. Uru-
“The Russian guarantor has Though he did not specify servers already in Syria. cisively” to any violation by guay’s Ambassador Elbio
clarified that there will be who the military police Al-Moallem also vowed the rebels. Rosselli told reporters “there
military police and obser- would be, he appeared to that Syrian government “There are still logistical de- are consultations ongoing”
vation centers.” be referring to Russian ob- forces would respond “de- tails that will be discussed on the text. Several other
in Damascus and we will council diplomats said a
see the extent of commit- vote Monday or Tuesday —
ment to this agreement,” as Moscow is seeking — is
al-Moallem said. highly unlikely, explaining
On another diplomatic that they need details on
track, the United Nations’ the zones. The United States
Syria envoy, Staffan de is not party to the de-esca-
Mistura, announced plans lation agreement. U.S. De-
to reconvene talks in Ge- fense Secretary Jim Mattis
neva between represen- said the U.S. would take a
tatives of Syrian President close look at the proposal
Bashar Assad’s govern- for “safe zones” in Syria,
ment and opposition lead- but he said the plan poses
ers May 16. many unanswered ques-
A statement from de Mis- tions, including whether it
tura’s office late Monday would be effective.q
Libya general’s troops push
deep into central Benghazi
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — Hifter is allied with the in-
Troops loyal to a powerful ternationally recognized
general in eastern Libya parliament in eastern Lib-
say they have pushed into ya and at odds with the
central parts of Benghazi U.N.-backed government
on Monday, working to in Tripoli.
clear out the final areas Libya sank into chaos fol-
held by Islamists and their lowing the 2011 NATO-
allies in the eastern city. backed uprising that top-
Riyadh al-Shahiebi, of the pled and killed dictator
special forces media of- Moammar Gadhafi. The
fice, says troops fighting oil-producing nation now is
for the Libyan National split between rival govern-
Army of Field Marshal Khal- ments and militias.
ifa Hifter entered the Souq Benghazi has been the
al-Hout and Sabri areas. scene of heavy fighting in
Six soldiers were killed in the past three years be-
the fighting, mostly from tween Hifter’s forces and
land mines and roadside Islamic militants and for-
bombs. mer rebels. q
