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07/11/2012
Cameron Visits Syrian Refugees
David Cameron has met with Syrian refugees at a camp on the Jordanian border.
The PM has described the suffering of refugees caught up in the conflict as "horrendous".
He said he wanted to bring Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to justice to give the country a brighter future.
"I wanted to hear for myself the stories of people who have been bombed and shot and blasted out of their homes in Syria by a deeply-illegitimate and unpleasant regime that is raining down death and destruction on its own people," he said.
"It is truly horrendous to hear those stories and just redoubles my determination that now, with a newly-elected American president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help Syria achieve transition."
The visit comes as Britain prepares to begin talks with Syrian rebels, due to take place in Jordan and Turkey.
Mr Cameron was told how up to 500 people a day have been arriving at the Za'atri camp, some having walked for 15 days.
He said: "There is an opportunity for Britain, for America, for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and like-minded allies to come together and try to help shape the opposition, outside Syria and inside Syria, and try to help them achieve their goal, which is our goal of a Syria without Assad."
He added he would like President Assad to see "full international justice".
It is thought the Prime Minister is the first G20 leader to visit Syrian refugees in Jordan.
A No 10 spokesman said: "The government will make absolutely clear to these groups that they must respect human rights and humanitarian law standards. We will also call on them to work with aid agencies to facilitate vital humanitarian access."
More than 30,000 people have been killed in the violence in Syria which began last year.
(IT/GK)
The PM has described the suffering of refugees caught up in the conflict as "horrendous".
He said he wanted to bring Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to justice to give the country a brighter future.
"I wanted to hear for myself the stories of people who have been bombed and shot and blasted out of their homes in Syria by a deeply-illegitimate and unpleasant regime that is raining down death and destruction on its own people," he said.
"It is truly horrendous to hear those stories and just redoubles my determination that now, with a newly-elected American president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help Syria achieve transition."
The visit comes as Britain prepares to begin talks with Syrian rebels, due to take place in Jordan and Turkey.
Mr Cameron was told how up to 500 people a day have been arriving at the Za'atri camp, some having walked for 15 days.
He said: "There is an opportunity for Britain, for America, for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and like-minded allies to come together and try to help shape the opposition, outside Syria and inside Syria, and try to help them achieve their goal, which is our goal of a Syria without Assad."
He added he would like President Assad to see "full international justice".
It is thought the Prime Minister is the first G20 leader to visit Syrian refugees in Jordan.
A No 10 spokesman said: "The government will make absolutely clear to these groups that they must respect human rights and humanitarian law standards. We will also call on them to work with aid agencies to facilitate vital humanitarian access."
More than 30,000 people have been killed in the violence in Syria which began last year.
(IT/GK)
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