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LUCCA, Italy. – G7 nations have failed to agree on a proposal by Britain for sanctions against Russia in the wake of a deadly chemical attack they say was carried out by Moscow’s ally, Syria.
Italy’s foreign minister said the group did not want to back Russia into a corner and preferred dialogue.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had moved on from the G7 meeting in Italy and had arrived in Moscow for talks. He insisted Syria’s president could not play a part in the country’s future.
The G7 meeting in the Italian city of Lucca followed last week’s chemical attack on the rebel-held Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun that left 89 people dead.
The Turkish health ministry yesterday confirmed that the nerve agent, sarin, had been used. Syria denied the attack but the US then carried out a retaliatory strike, firing 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase.
The two-day meeting of foreign ministers was aimed at hammering out a unified approach to Syria before Mr Tillerson headed to Moscow.
But divisions arose as UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson proposed sanctions against Syrian and Russian military figures over the chemical attack.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says Johnson had hoped for some form of explicit support, but the final G7 communiqué does not mention sanctions.
Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said ministers wanted to engage with Russia. “We think the Russians have the leverage that is needed to put pressure on (President Bashar al-Assad) and to get him to observe the commitments with regard to the ceasefire,” he said.
Johnson denied he had suffered a defeat, saying there was support for sanctions if further evidence of the chemical attack were gathered.
One thing that did appear to unite the group was the future of Assad.
Tillerson summed it up, saying: “It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end.”
He also won support over the retaliatory strike, which he called “necessary as a matter of US national security interest”. – BBC.
Online Reporter