South Africa Opposes Military Intervention In Syria

Republic of South Africa President Jacob Zuma with Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations and Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, the South African Minister of International Relations., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

South Africa opposes military intervention in Syria

August 30, 2013

JOHANNESBURG — The South African government yesterday announced that it does not support any idea of military intervention in Syria. “South Africa is alarmed at the latest escalation in the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, bombing the already suffering people and crumbling infrastructure of Syria will not contribute to a sustainable solution,” said the Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesperson, Clayson Monyela, in a statement in Pretoria.

Syrian rebels claimed that chemical weapons were used by the government troops last week in an attack on the outskirts of the capital Damascus, killing many people including children.

The five UN Security Council permanent members met on Wednesday to discuss a British-proposed resolution on Syria, which called for a military response to the use of chemical weapons.

Monyela said the South African government was convinced that the outcome of the military intervention would be unpredictable and will only serve to worsen the conflict in Syria.

“It will ultimately be the people of Syria who pay the price, while those participating in the military intervention will return to safety far away from the crisis,” he pointed out.

Believing that a political solution should be sought in Syria, the South African government urges all parties involved in the Syrian conflict to engage in a process of all-inclusive national dialogue, free of any form of violence, said the spokesperson.

On Monday, the Syrian government denied and slammed the allegations of chemical weapon use, saying the West’s claims that his government used chemical weapons were “an insult to common sense.”

— Xinhua.