SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Germany has expressed opposition to foreign military intervention in Syria, warning that it could set the entire Middle East region on fire.
Discussing the Syrian crisis with the Qatari Emir and the country’s premier in Doha, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Berlin is opposed to the stance taken by some Western and Arab states, including Qatar, against Syria and it believes that Kofi Annan's peace plan is still the best option to end the Syrian violence, DPA reported.
Westerwelle, however, called for more political pressure on the government in Damascus.
No press conference was held following the talks between the German foreign minister and the Qatari officials.
"We must avoid a conflagration that could set the whole region on fire. Considering the highly complex and dangerous situation in Syria, we must not create the wrong expectations, pretending that we could bring about a quick solution with a military intervention," Westerwelle said in Germany before leaving the country for a five-day tour of some Middle Eastern states on Monday.
Westerwelle left Qatar for the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and has held talks with UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In Abu Dhabi, Westerwelle said it is crucial to prevent Syria’s unrest causing violence outside its borders. Already clashes have broken out in neighboring Lebanon, killing several people.
According to German sources, Westerwelle will also travel to Turkey, where US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other officials from the so-called Friends of Syria plan to meet on Wednesday in Istanbul to discuss the Syria crisis. — www.shafaqna.com
