The European Tribune is a forum for thoughtful dialogue of European and international issues. You are invited to post comments and your own articles.
Please REGISTER to post.
Secretary of State Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Press Remarks After Their Meeting In Geneva QUESTION: David Lerman from Bloomberg. Sir, just five days ago in London, when you first floated this idea publicly, you seemed to dismiss it at the time by saying Assad would never do it and, quote, "It can't be done, obviously." My question, sir, is how did the impossible suddenly become possible? And why is it credible to think that you can send these inspectors in on the ground in the middle of a civil war? SECRETARY KERRY: Sure. QUESTION: And, as a practical matter, if you really want to get thorough, verifiable inspections in all corners of the country, don't you have to stop the fighting first? SECRETARY KERRY: ... One of the reasons that we believe this is achievable is because the Assad regime has taken extraordinary pains in order to keep control of these weapons. And they have moved them, and we know they've moved them. We've seen them move them. We watched this. And so we know they've continued to always move them to a place of more control. Therefore, since these weapons are in areas under regime control predominantly, Sergey raises questions that maybe the opposition has some here or there, and absolutely, fair is fair. Both sides have to be responsible. If they do, that also - and that may present a larger challenge. But those of us who have been supporting the opposition have a responsibility to help create access there, and the regime has responsibility where we believe the - the measure - in fact, we believe the only weapons are - ought to be accessible because the Assad regime controls the access.
QUESTION: David Lerman from Bloomberg. Sir, just five days ago in London, when you first floated this idea publicly, you seemed to dismiss it at the time by saying Assad would never do it and, quote, "It can't be done, obviously." My question, sir, is how did the impossible suddenly become possible? And why is it credible to think that you can send these inspectors in on the ground in the middle of a civil war?
SECRETARY KERRY: Sure.
QUESTION: And, as a practical matter, if you really want to get thorough, verifiable inspections in all corners of the country, don't you have to stop the fighting first?
SECRETARY KERRY: ... One of the reasons that we believe this is achievable is because the Assad regime has taken extraordinary pains in order to keep control of these weapons. And they have moved them, and we know they've moved them. We've seen them move them. We watched this. And so we know they've continued to always move them to a place of more control.
Therefore, since these weapons are in areas under regime control predominantly, Sergey raises questions that maybe the opposition has some here or there, and absolutely, fair is fair. Both sides have to be responsible. If they do, that also - and that may present a larger challenge. But those of us who have been supporting the opposition have a responsibility to help create access there, and the regime has responsibility where we believe the - the measure - in fact, we believe the only weapons are - ought to be accessible because the Assad regime controls the access.
by gmoke - Jun 19
by gmoke - Jun 6
by Oui - Jun 21
by Oui - Jun 202 comments
by Oui - Jun 207 comments
by Oui - Jun 19
by Oui - Jun 191 comment
by Oui - Jun 184 comments
by Oui - Jun 181 comment
by Oui - Jun 1710 comments
by Oui - Jun 166 comments
by Oui - Jun 16
by Oui - Jun 162 comments
by Oui - Jun 1515 comments
by Oui - Jun 141 comment
by Oui - Jun 14
by Oui - Jun 13