Source: France to hold meeting to pressure Syria

Email

Print

Facebook

Tweet

PARIS (AP) — A French diplomatic source says the country's foreign minister is inviting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other foreign diplomats to a meeting in Paris aimed at keeping up the pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime in the face of a fragile cease-fire.

The source told The Associated Press that the meeting Thursday will send a "firm message" to Assad and include other members of the Friends of Syria group, such as the foreign ministers of Qatar and Turkey. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the meeting were being finalized.

A truce meant to end 13 months of violence in Syria went into effect last week, but Assad's regime has only partially complied.

Officials were already meeting Tuesday in Paris to discuss reinforcing sanctions against the regime.