Foreign Ministry spokesman’s statement regarding reports on heavy casualties and the use of heavy weapons in clashes at the village of Tremseh in Syria

Foreign Ministry spokesman’s statement regarding reports on heavy casualties and the use of heavy weapons in clashes at the village of Tremseh in Syria

Foreign Ministry spokesman Gregory Delavekouras made the following statement regarding reports on the use of heavy weapons and a large number of casualties in clashes at the village of Tremseh in Syria:

“We express our abhorrence and strong condemnation of the ongoing violations of the UN ceasefire plan; violations resulting in a dramatic increase in the number of casualties, including civilians. The violence in Syria needs to stop, at long last, and those guilty of the crimes that have been perpetrated must be punished.

We look forward to the speediest possible investigation by UN observers of the distressing reports regarding the clashes at the village of Tremseh, so that the responsible parties can be charged.

Our position remains that there needs to be a peaceful, political solution to the Syrian crisis. This is the only option that will benefit the Syrian people and regional stability. In this framework, the political transition process must move ahead quickly, based on the proposals of Special Envoy Kofi Annan and the Action Group communiqué adopted in Geneva on 30 June.

All the sides in Syria – and in particular the regime, which has lost its legitimacy and stands as an obstacle to the political transition process – have to understand that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and immediately put the interests of the Syrian people ahead of any other expediency”.

July 15, 2012