FCO Minister meets Syrian Kurdish leader

Britain's Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt met the Head of the Syrian Kurdish National Council Dr Abdul Hakeem Bashar on Wednesday. After the meeting, Mr Burt said he was ‘delighted’ to have met the Syrian Kurdish political leader as part of the UK’s intensive engagement with Syrian oppositionists. “I reiterated the clear and growing need for the Syrian opposition to come together to help define a shared vision for a future Syria where the political system is inclusive, representative and adheres to international human rights standards,” the FCO Minister said. This is essentialm, Burt added to the transition towards a free and democratic state in Syria, adding that securing the rights of minorities like the Kurds was a "crucial part" of the process.