Post date: Feb 24, 2012 7:4:32 PM
TUNIS, TUNISIA (FEBRUARY 24, 2012)(REUTERS - French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said on Friday (February 24) that negotiations were underway evacuate two injured foreign journalists trapped in the besieged Syrian city of Homs, where two other foreign reporters were killed this week.
The French Foreign Minister says Red Cross is in talks with governor of Homs to access injured foreign journalists, while German Foreign Minister calls for leaders attending the "Friends of Syria" conference to send a unified message of support to the Syrian people.
Juppe spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the 'Friends of Syria' conference, where Western and Arab powers had gathered to show solidarity with the Syrian opposition.
French journalist Edith Bouvier and British photographer Paul Conroy were injured in an attack by Syrian forces besieging opposition forces that killed Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Olchik.
Juppe called for Syrian authorities to grant access to the wounded journalists.
"I asked the Syrian authorities with great insistence to allow our ambassador to go there with the necessary protection to organise the evacuation of the injured journalists. For the moment this permission has not been given but it seems the governor of Homs is in the process of working with the Red Cross and Red Crescent on this evacuation and I hope that it can be carried out as soon as possible," Juppe said at a news conference.
Foreign ministers from more than 50 countries were in Tunis for the first meeting of the "Friends of Syria" group, against the backdrop of a surge in government attacks on the city of Homs and mounting world outrage over violence that has claimed thousands of lives during the uprising.
The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Arab and Western countries, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Leaders at the meeting were expected to demand that Syria respect a ceasefire so that humanitarian aid could be delivered to besieged cities.
Over 6,000 civilians have died in the Syrian government's crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising.
French Foreign Minister Juppe stressed humanitarian access was essential.
"I am not especially attached to the idea of humanitarian corridors, but what everyone agrees on is that we need to get humanitarian aid, that there should be paths of access, particularly to Homs and Hama and there are other towns too. On this there is absolute unanimity, and a strong message on this will be transmitted today at the end of the conference," he said.
German Foreign Minister called for the world to show support for the Syrian people under siege.
"The statement of (Syrian National Council President) Professor Ghalioun was not only very impressive, I think it was also a moving description about the situation of the situation in Syria, especially in Homs.
And I think this showed us that it is really necessary to stand united against the repression of this regime and the atrocities of the regime of Assad. We think his time is over, we think that he should step aside and allow a peaceful transformation in Syria, and I welcome that the international community is united in this situation. I think this also a signal to the Syrian people, a signal of support. It is not only a strong signal against the regime of Assad, I think it's also a message of, a message to those countries especially in the (U.N) Security Council who are still reluctant, and I think it makes clear that they stand on the wrong side of history," Guido Westerwelle told reporters outside of the conference venue.
Also on Friday Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said an Arab force should be created to impose peace and open humanitarian corridors in Syria, while Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby urged the UN Security Council to appeal for a ceasefire.