Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal has confirmed that he will be taking part in a meeting in Tunisia on Friday during which a group of countries plan to create a coalition outside the United Nations to put more pressure on Syria.

“The important thing is to maintain a broad coalition with Arab countries, Turkey, EU countries and others so we maintain collective pressure on Syria,” Søvndal tells Ritzau in a view shared by a broad majority in Parliament.

The Danish foreign minister says that Syria’s Friends is not a military coalition, but just a group of countries who want to improve the situation in Syria.

“I don’t think more weapons are needed in Syria. I think what is needed is to gain control, not least of the government’s use of arms,” he says.

No military
The Red Green Party says it is ready to back the government.

“It is good that someone is concerned about Syria. If it is possible to put pressure on President Assad with non-violent means, that is a good idea,” Foreign Policy Spokesman Christian Juhl tells Politiken.dk, naming an effective trade blockade.

“The military must be kept away. We should not support the rebels with weapons, and no countries should go in with soldiers,” Juhl says.

The Liberal Party is also in favour of Søvndal’s move.

“For a week now we have been calling for the government to put forward a clear Syria strategy. We don’t think that they have had a clear plan. So it is a good thing if Søvndal is doing something,” says Liberal Political Spokeswoman Ellen Thrane Nørby.

The Liberal Alliance is also positive towards Søvndal’s plan, but also adds that the party would like to discuss withdrawing the Danish ambassador to Damascus.

The only party opposed to the idea is the Danish People’s Party.

“The Danish People’s Party’s general view is that Denmark should not meddle in other countries’ civil wars,” says DPP Foreign Policy Spokesman Søren Espersen, adding however that the party could be prepared to support the Red Cross with more funds.

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