Support for Syrian opposition best way to end violence - US

The United States will keep supporting the Syrian opposition as that is the only possible way to resolve the conflict in the country, the US State Department said Monday.

“We remain committed to trying to support both the Syrian Opposition Coalition and others inside Syria who believe in using [the agreement reached last summer in] Geneva and trying now to implement it,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a daily press briefing.

“We think that’s the best way to end the violence,” Nuland said.

At a meeting on Syria in Geneva on June 30, 2012, foreign ministers from UN Security Council permanent member states and from countries neighboring Syria proposed establishing a transitional Syrian government that would comprise both the Syrian authorities and opposition forces.

The state secretary also said Monday her country and Russia have different interpretations of how the situation in Syria could be resolved.

About 70,000 people have died in Syria since the start of the uprising against President Assad in March 2011, according to UN figures. Russia, along with China, has faced widespread condemnation over its refusal to approve UN sanctions against Assad’s regime, RIA reports.

Moscow has repeatedly stated it has no interest in seeing Assad remain in power, but is rather concerned that unilateral sanctions would create a power vacuum that would lead to more violence.