France FM in Beijing to discuss Syria
China has long sided with Russia in blocking sanctions against the Assad regime
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BEIJING — France’s foreign minister was due to meet with his Chinese counterpart on Sunday in a continuing diplomatic drive to end the two-and-a-half-year civil war in Syria.
Laurent Fabius was due to meet Wang Yi at China’s Foreign Ministry.
France firmly backs the Syrian rebels and has strategic and historic interests in the region. It urged military action after an alleged chemical attack on Aug. 21 that it and the US blamed on President Bashar Assad’s government.
In contrast, China and Russia have consistently blocked resolutions at the UN Security Council aimed at sanctioning Assad’s regime.
On Saturday, US and Russian diplomats in Geneva agreed on a deal to secure and destroy Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile, averting the threat of military action for now.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
The Times of Israel Community.