Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson rules out Syrian no-fly zone
BRITAIN and the US are “considering” economic sanctions against Russia if it continues to bomb innocents in Aleppo but have rejected military options for now.
Boris Johnson has rejected a no-fly zone over Aleppo
Boris Johnson held talks with US secretary of state John Kerry as pressure mounted for a Nato no-fly zone over the Syrian city.
The two stepped back from an option that could see allies shoot down Russian jets, but told Moscow that they would “not stand aside”.
Warning against “lighting the fire” under greater conflict, Mr Kerry said action against Russia would instead have “to be done in a tedious, complicated way”.
“I don’t see people in the European parliaments ready to go to war,” he added.
Boris is confident Russia can't win the war in Syria
Johnson and Kerry told Russia they would 'not stand aside'
Mr Johnson agreed there “is no appetite for military action” in a swipe against pacifist elements in the UK and EU, but praised his US counterpart for trying to reopen talks at the weekend.
Let’s bring the slaughter to and end and get that peace process going
He said it is “highly dubious” Bashar Al Assad’s regime can take Aleppo, where rebels hold some districts – let alone win the civil war – but that 275,000 civilians remain subject to “barbaric attacks”.
Britain would continue to press for war crimes prosecutions against individuals, he added.
Mr Johnson pleaded with President Putin and President Assad to “show mercy” and re-establish a ceasefire.
“Let’s bring the slaughter to and end and get that peace process going,” he said.
Mr Johnson spoke on Syria with US secretary of state John Kerry
Mr Kerry added that “all of us are concerned and deeply, deeply outraged”.
He accused Russia of wanting to repeat its actions in Grozny, Chechnya, in 2000 and flatten the city.