LONDON: British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Monday that the UK has sent senior officials to meet with Syria’s new leadership.
It follows the fall earlier this month of the Assad regime to militants, including Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which has its roots in Al-Qaeda.
HTS has renounced extremism but remains proscribed as a terrorist group by several Western countries, including the UK and the United States.
“I can confirm today that we have sent a delegation of senior UK officials to Damascus this week for meetings with the new Syrian interim authorities and members of civil society groups in Syria,” he said.
Lammy added at a press conference in London that the team would reiterate Britain’s “support for the principles that have been set out — an inclusive transitional political process that is Syria-led and Syria-owned.”
The UK’s top diplomat said sending the delegation “underlines our commitment to Syria.”
Lammy also noted a weekend announcement of £50 million (60.4 million euro) in humanitarian aid for Syria, alongside funding to “help secure chemical weapons stockpiles” in the war-ravaged country.
UK sends senior officials to meet ‘interim Syrian authorities’
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UK sends senior officials to meet ‘interim Syrian authorities’
- “We have sent a delegation of senior UK officials to Damascus this week for meetings with the new Syrian interim authorities,” Lammy said
WHO warns of health risks from ‘black rain’ in Iran
- “The black rain and the acidic rain coming with it is indeed a danger for the population, respiratory mainly,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told a press briefing in Geneva, adding that Iran had advised people to stay indoors
GENEVA: The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that the “black rain” falling in Iran after strikes on oil facilities could cause respiratory problems, and it backed Iran’s advisory urging people to remain indoors.
The UN health agency, which has an office in Iran and works with authorities on health emergencies, said it has received multiple reports of oil-laden rain this week.
HIGHLIGHT
Tehran was choked in black smoke on Monday after an oil refinery was hit, in an escalation in strikes on Iran’s domestic energy supplies as part of the US-Israeli campaign.
Tehran was choked in black smoke on Monday after an oil refinery was hit, in an escalation in strikes on Iran’s domestic energy supplies as part of the US-Israeli campaign.
“The black rain and the acidic rain coming with it is indeed a danger for the population, respiratory mainly,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told a press briefing in Geneva, adding that Iran had advised people to stay indoors.
Asked whether the WHO backed that advice, he said: “Given what is at risk right now, the oil storage facilities, the refineries that have been struck, triggering fires, bringing serious air quality concerns, that is definitely a good idea.”
One video sent to Reuters by a WHO staff member showed what they said was a cleaner mopping up black liquid at its office entrance in Tehran on March 8.
