U.S., Germany tell Russia not to hurt Syria peace effort

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Germany warned Russia on Friday that arming President Bashar al-Assad's forces could jeopardize international efforts to bring Syria's warring parties together for peace talks.

Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking after talks with his German counterpart, Guido Westerwelle, said Russian plans to send a sophisticated air defense system to Assad also put Israel's security at risk.

Despite their differences, the United States and Russia are trying to convene an international conference next month to end a 26-month-old conflict that has killed more than 80,000 people and threatens to ignite wider Middle Eastern confrontations.

Russia has said it would fulfill an order for the S-300 long range surface-to-air missiles to Syria as a deterrent against foreign military intervention.

But Westerwelle told Russia that the missile shipment "is totally wrong" and called on Assad to "stop the violence and come to the negotiating table".

"It is very important that this Geneva 2 conference gets a realistic chance, and therefore, we ask and urge everyone not to spoil this conference," Westerwelle said, adding, "No one knows if this conference will become a success but it is the wrong message which has been sent by Russia to the world and to the region by delivering S-300 or other weapons."

Kerry, who has traveled throughout the Middle East in recent weeks gathering support for the peace talks, said he was convinced that Syria's opposition would attend the meeting despite threats to boycott it.

He said opposition talks in Istanbul had made progress in broadening their leadership. The delegates in Istanbul have agreed to add 14 named members of a liberal bloc led by veteran figure Michel Kilo to the 60-member assembly of the Syrian National Coalition, the closest body that Assad's foes have to an overall civilian leadership.

"If everybody is serious, and we are, and the Russians have said they are, the best chance to save Syria, the best chance to be able to protect minorities and stop the killing ... is through a peaceful resolution that comes about in an organized way," Kerry said.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Jim Loney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-germany-tell-russia-not-hurt-syria-peace-151221203.html

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