Assad regime must be involved in Syria solution: Merkel

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said a political solution to Syria's conflict requires the participation of the current regime. She also defended Germany's asylum laws amid a refugee crisis caused in part by the war.

Speaking to German radio station Deutschlandfunk in an interview broadcast on Sunday, Merkel said a political process was needed to end Syria's civil war, although military intervention was also essential.

"Regarding Syria, as I have said: we will need military efforts, but military efforts will not bring the solution; we need a political process, but that has not been going very well so far," Merkel said.

In the most direct terms she has used so far, Merkel stressed that the current ruling regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be involved in negotiations to find a resolution to the more than four-year-long conflict.

http://www.dw.com/en/assad-regime-must-be-involved-in-syria-solution-merkel/a-18760013

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1. Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

Russia’s bombing of rebel positions has angered countries in the region that have been trying to oust Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad. Analysts say Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are now likely to increase military aid to the anti-Assad groups they support.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad

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2. . nt