Syria accuses UN members of backing terrorism

Syria has accused some UN Security Council members of supporting “terrorism” in a speech clearly aimed at the United States and its allies that support the Syrian opposition.

Addressing the UN General Assembly’s annual gathering of world leaders, foreign minister Walid al-Moallem al-Moallem said that efforts by Syria and the world to end the 18-month war will fail unless Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya and others stop arming and financing the opposition and instead “encourage dialogue and renounce violence”.

Mr Al-Moallem argued that the regime of president Bashar Assad is confronting a myriad of conspiracies by internal and external forces determined to end its 40-year rule and accused forces as diverse as the media and international organisations of attempting to destabilise the country.