US Sec of State John Kerry meets French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, comment
(7 Sep 2013) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius in Paris on Saturday. "This is not the time to be silent spectators to slaughter," Kerry said at a joint news conference with Fabius, adding that now is "not the time to allow a dictator unfettered use of some of the most heinous weapons on earth." Kerry stated Barack Obama's position that it is time to "pursue a targeted and limited, but clear and effective response that holds dictators like Bashar Assad responsible for the atrocities that they commit." Fabius said he believed the idea of punitive strikes was not "at odds with the political solution." "It is the precondition. Mr. Bashar al-Assad will take part in no negotiation as long as he sees himself invincible," Fabius explained. Earlier Friday, Fabius told EU foreign ministers in Vilnius that there was no need to wait for the U.N. report because it would simply confirm what was already known - that the chemical weapons attack had occurred - but would not say who was responsible. U.S. President Barack Obama just came back from a European trip where he lobbied for support for a U.S. response to the chemical attack outside Damascus on August 21. His administration's lobbying campaign culminates on Tuesday, the evening before a critical vote is expected in the Senate. Obama will address the nation from the White House to make his case for military action. On Wednesday, the first showdown Senate vote is likely over a resolution authorising the "limited and specified use" of U.S. armed forces against Syria for no more than 90 days and barring American ground troops from combat. A final vote in the 100-member chamber is expected at week's end. A vote in the House of Representatives is likely the week of September 16. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
