U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday it was important to build a strong opposition in Syria that could function after Bashar al-Assad loses power.
Obama made his comments at the end of the G8 conference, where world leaders called for peace talks to be held as soon as possible to resolve the Syrian civil war but failed to mention the fate of Assad in their final summit communique.
This comes as world leaders including the U.S. and Russia declared they are united in wanting a negotiated and peaceful end to the Syrian civil war that will produce a government "under a top leadership that inspires public confidence."
The declaration at the end of the two-day Group of Eight summit sought to narrow the ground between Syria government backer Russia and Western leaders on starting peace talks in Geneva that could end with the ouster of Bashar Assad from power.
It stopped short of demanding Assad's removal as leader, nor did it advance the possibility of sending U.S., British or French weapons to rebels, an option being kept open by all three G-8 members. Russia refused to back any declaration that made such Assad's removal from power an explicit goal.
And reflecting the profound divisions that remain after two days of talks, the British host, Prime Minister David Cameron, declared in response to reporters' questions that it was "unthinkable" that Assad could play any role in Syria's post-talks government.
"He has blood on his hands. He has used chemical weapons," Cameron said, a position rejected as unproven by the Russians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said arms supplies to the Syrian opposition would destabilize the situation even further.
"Any decisions to provide the opposition with weapons based on unconfirmed accusations against Damascus of using chemical weapons will only further destabilize the situation," Putin said at a news conference.
Significantly, the G-8 declaration said participants in any peace talks must agree to expel al-Qaeda-linked fighters from Syria. That measure reflects growing Western unease at the human rights abuses being committed in rebel-held areas, including civilian executions on Muslim extremist grounds.
The declaration condemned human rights abuses committed by government forces and rebels alike, and called on both sides to permit access by U.N.-led chemical weapons experts trying to investigate the contentious claims of chemical weapons use.
In its only concrete commitment, the plan commits a further $1.5 billion in aid for Syrian refugees.
The G-8 is made up of Britain, the U.S., Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Canada and Japan. The group's tax initiative reflects widespread anger over the ability of foreign companies to funnel profits to tax-friendly countries.
The summit was concluding with rapid-fire statements by each departing leader. Obama was scheduled to continue his European trip Tuesday night in Germany.
On the field
Syrian activists say warplanes
have hit rebel positions near a contested military air base in the northern
province of Aleppo.
The Britain-based Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights says that fighter jets struck near the Kweiras air
base early Tuesday. The group, which relies on a network of informants inside
Syria, also reported heavy clashes in the area.
Opposition forces fighting to
oust President Bashar Assad's regime have been trying for months to take the
Kweiras complex located near the border with Turkey. The opposition has
controlled large swathes of land in the north and whole neighborhoods inside
the city of Aleppo since last summer.
Tuesday's airstrikes are part of
Assad's campaign to reclaim territory the regime lost to the rebels in the past
year.
AP/REUTERS
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