Air strikes on Syria will heighten anti-West sentiment: Morocco

Rabat, April 16 (IANS/MAP) Morocco has deplored the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East, including last week's military escalation in Syria, and has said that "military options" will not only make quest for political solutions difficult but will deepen civilian suffering and "heighten anti-West sentiment".

Morocco, which has always respected international law, can only condemn the use of chemical weapons, particularly against innocent civilian populations, an official source told the official MAP news agency, adding that "past experiences have taught us that military options, including air strikes -- no matter how justified or proportionate they can be -- only make it more difficult to find a political solution, deepen the suffering of civilian victims and heighten their anti-West sentiment".

The timing chosen for this escalation, on the eve of important Arab events, and the absence of the usual appropriate consultations, may raise questions, misunderstanding and indignation, the source said.

Similarly, the different standards adopted in the management of international conflicts, in some cases resorting quickly to military options and, in other cases, imposing international legality, would only fuel international tensions.

The Kingdom of Morocco considers that the solution to the Syrian crisis can only be political and hopes that reason will prevail with a view to finding a solution to the crisis that preserves the national unity of this country and the dignity of these populations and secures an effective fight against intolerance, extremism and terrorism, the source, familiar with the thinking of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

--IANS/MAP

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