French President Francois Hollande (L) and Ahmad al-Jarba, head of the so-called Syrian National Coalition, speak to journalists in the Elysee Palace in Paris on August 29, 2013.<\/p>\n
French President Francois Hollande has said everything must be done to seek a political solution to the Syria case, contradicting earlier posturing by Paris calling for military action against the Arab country.\n<\/p>\n
Hollande made the remarks on Thursday after a meeting with the head of the so-called Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Ahmad al-Jarba, in Paris.\n<\/p>\n
The French President called on the world powers to halt \u00c5\u201cthe escalating violence\u201d in Syria.\n<\/p>\n
“All efforts must be made for a political solution but this will only come\u2026 if the international community is capable of stopping the escalating violence of which the chemical weapons attack is just an illustration,” Hollande said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The French president, however, reiterated that Paris would give \u00c5\u201call its aid, all its political backing and also humanitarian and medical aid” to Syria\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s opposition group.<\/p>\n
France together with the US and Britain have called for military action against Syria over accusations that the Syrian government was behind the recent chemical attack near the capital, Damascus.\n<\/p>\n
The call for military strike intensified after the militants operating inside Syria and the foreign-backed Syrian opposition claimed on August 21 that hundreds had been killed in a government chemical attack on militant strongholds in the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka and Jobar. Syria has categorically rejected the claim.\n<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, former French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said that military action was an \u00c5\u201cappropriate solution\u201d to the crisis in Syria.\n<\/p>\n
De Villepin, who is known for his speech in 2003 at the UN in opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq, also said that a military action against Syria would delay \u00c5\u201cany political, diplomatic settlement.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
SAB\/KA
\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n