Syria warns against foreign intervention after Obama speech

DAMASCUS: Any foreign intervention in Syria would be an act of aggression unless it is approved by Damascus, a Syrian government minister said on Thursday, after the United States said it was prepared to strike against Islamic State fighters in the country. “Any action of any type without the approval of Syrian government is an aggression against Syria,” Ali Haidar, minister of national reconciliation affairs, told reporters in Damascus. “There must be cooperation with Syria and coordination with Syria and there must be a Syrian approval of any action whether it is military or not.” Foreign countries could use Islamic State simply as a pretext for attacking Syria, Haidar told reporters ahead of a meeting with new international peace mediator Staffan de Mistura. Washington and its Western allies have supported the insurgency against Syrian President Bashar Assad and have ruled out cooperating with him to fight Islamic State, which seeks to create a cross-border caliphate. Instead the United States wants to bolster moderate Syrian rebels fighting Assad and has asked Congress to authorize $500 million to train and arm them, and has said it is willing to carrying out air strikes against Islamic State targets in the country. Meanwhile, Britain’s foreign secretary said his country won’t participate in airstrikes on Syria. Speaking Thursday after talks with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Philip Hammond said Britain won’t be “revisiting” the issue after Parliament decided last year against participating in airstrikes. Germany often shuns taking part in combat operations and Steinmeier said his country also wouldn’t join in any airstrikes. AGENCIES