Syria: Thousands Mourn Kurdish Activist As NATO Has No Plans To Intervene
Thousands participated Saturday in the funeral of a prominent Kurdish opposition leader Mashaal Tammo, who was assassinated Friday in the city of Qamishli northeastern Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “50 thousand took part in the funeral, which turned into a mass demonstration demanding to bring down the regime.”
On his part, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Anders Rasmussen stated that “NATO” will not intervene in Syria.” But he said in an exclusive interview with Al Sharq al Awsat newspaper on Saturday: “We strongly condemn what the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been doing against the protesters.”
Meanwhile, a senior official at the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that Moscow expects a visit by representatives of the Syrian opposition on Tuesday. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told “Itar-Tass”: “We are ready to meet them at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will happen on October 11.”
Western powers strongly criticized Russia and China on Tuesday when they used their veto against a draft resolution condemning Syria in the UN Security Council.
The delegation will meet with Russian diplomats on an informal basis. It will include “five to six representatives of various opposition parties,” said Bogdanov. “We are ready to listen to the views of the opposition.”
