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Journalism of Courage
Ahead of the BRICS Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa summit in Durban on March 26-27,Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad is learnt to have asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take the lead in drafting a strong and forceful BRICS declaration favourable to Syria,opposing external military intervention and stressing on peaceful negotiations when the heads of five-member grouping of emerging economies meet.
Assads message to Singh,which was handed over to National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon by the Syrian Presidents special envoy Bouthaina Shaaban on Wednesday,also calls for implementation of the Geneva accord. Shaaban,who is Assads political adviser,told The Indian Express ,We want India to take the lead in making a strong statement to end violence in Syria. We want violence to stop immediately,since Syrian people are paying the price.
The Geneva accord says that conflict must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiation alone,so that a credible political agreement can be reached. It also says that sovereignty,independence,unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic must be respected.
Shaaban thanked the India for its position,which opposes external military intervention and calls for a Syrian-led political process. She also said that the US and France have been making positive statements in the recent weeks.
She also met External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State External Affairs E Ahamed.
BRICS had last year expressed deep concern at the situation in Syria and had called for an immediate end to all violence and violations of human rights in that country.
