France will support the Syrian opposition only if it takes into account the interests of all representatives of Syrian society, outgoing French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault said.
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“We demand the unanimous acceptance of all groups of society in Syria… In this political transition, all political movements and minorities must be taken into account, represented and must find their place… The assistance and support that France can provide for this political transition in Syria will depend on the implementation of our demands for an inclusive transition that respects the interests of minorities, human rights and international law,” Barrot said on Franceinfo TV.
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Barro avoided answering the question whether Paris intends to open an embassy in Damascus.
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“We stopped diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012. The French special envoy for Syria is in the Middle East region and will arrive in Syria in the coming days,” the minister said.
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He noted that there are several hundred French citizens in Syria; Paris interacts with the authorities in Syria through the Romanian Embassy and its diplomatic mission in Beirut.
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Earlier, representatives of the armed opposition in Syria, who seized state television, went on air with the assertion that they had established control over the country. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali said that he remains in the country with several ministers, but they do not know where the Minister of Defense is. The prime minister also said that he had established contact with the leadership of the armed opposition.
