May, Trump agree Russia should break ties
with Assad: UK PM's office
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[April 11, 2017]
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime
Minister Theresa May spoke on Monday to U.S. President Donald Trump and
agreed that "a window of opportunity" exists to persuade Russia to break
ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, May's office said.
A spokeswoman for the prime minister said Trump had thanked May for her
support following last week's U.S. military action in Syria against the
Assad regime.
The White House later on Monday said Trump had spoken with May and
separately with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone about the
U.S. attack and thanked them for their support.
It said in a statement that May and Merkel expressed support for the
U.S. action and agreed with Trump on the importance of holding Assad
accountable.
In a shift in Washington's strategy, U.S. missiles hit a Syrian air base
last week in retaliation for what the United States and its allies say
was a poison gas attack by Syria's military in which scores of civilians
died. The Syrian government has denied it was behind the assault.
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Trump had previously appeared disinclined to intervene against the
Syrian leader and the attack raised expectations that he might now be
ready to adopt a tougher-than-expected stance with Russia, Assad's main
backer.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is due to travel to Moscow this
week and the spokeswoman for May said the two leaders had agreed during
their conversation that the visit was an opportunity to make progress
toward a solution.
"The prime minister and the president agreed that a window of
opportunity now exists in which to persuade Russia that its alliance
with Assad is no longer in its strategic interest," the spokeswoman
said.
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![](../images/041117pics/news_u35.jpg)
President Donald Trump
escorts British Prime Minister Theresa May after their meeting at
the White House in Washington, U.S., January 27, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin
Lamarque
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"They agreed that U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson's visit to Moscow
this week provides an opportunity to make progress toward a solution
which will deliver a lasting political settlement."
The spokeswoman said the two leaders had also stressed the importance of
the international community, including China, putting pressure on North
Korea to constrain the threat it poses.
(Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by James Dalgleish, Toni Reinhold)
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