Ottawa, Sep 11 (IANS) Canada supports a political solution to Syria’s conflicts and destruction of its chemical weapons, Foreign Minister John Baird said here.
“As we’ve said from the beginning, the only way to halt the bloodshed in Syria is through a political solution,” Xinhua quoted Baird as saying in a statement Tuesday.
Baird noted that Canada supported efforts that were being undertaken by the US and other countries to reinforce the prohibition of the use of chemical weapons.
“Destroying these chemical weapons, which the regime has denied having for years, would be in the best interests of the entire region and all Syrians,” he said.
He also admitted that it was not an easy job to secure and destroy all the stocks of chemical weapons held by the Syrian government.
Baird promised Canada would continue to follow events at the UN Security Council closely and work with international partners on the Syrian issue.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Aug 29 his country had no plans for a military mission of its own in Syria, although the government supported its allies and had been convinced of the need for “forceful action”.
Harper admitted that the risk of chemical weapons of being more widely used was too great.
