Trudeau says Bashar al-Assad must go, held to account for ‘bloody actions’

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad cannot remain as leader, and he must be held to account for perpetrating war crimes against his own people, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today.

Speaking to reporters at Juno Beach in France, Trudeau said the international community must work in “unity, solidarity and firmness” in response to recent chemical weapons attacks carried out by the Assad regime against civilians. He said Assad is not part of a medium or long-term future for a peaceful Syria after committing “bloody actions.”

“There is no question that anyone who is guilty of the types of war crimes against innocents, against children, that Assad and his regime are needs to be held to account, and we need to move as quickly as possible toward peace and stability in Syria that does not involve Bashar al-Assad,” he said.

Trudeau said Russia and Iran must play a role in ending the conflict. He didn’t rule out further sanctions against Russia.

“Countries that have been supportive of the Assad regime bear some of the responsibility for the chemical attacks on innocents, civilians, on children last week,” he said.

“And those countries must also be part of the solution, as we hold the Assad regime to account and as we move tangibly forward as an international community to ending this conflict in Syria.”

‘Move as quickly as possible’ towards peace without Assad in Syria: PM1:20

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/syria-trudeau-assad-attacks-1.4063464?cmp=rss