Minister condemns Syrian violence

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says New Zealand fully supports Australia’s decision to expel a Syrian diplomat who was also accredited to New Zealand.

“New Zealand stands resolutely behind the Australian action of expelling the Syrian Charge d’affairés from Canberra,” Mr McCully says.

“I have been in direct contact with Foreign Minister Carr to discuss this action.”

Mr McCully has condemned the appalling acts of violence in the Syrian town of Houla last weekend, in which at least 108 people were killed, including a reported 49 children.

“These are events which are horrific and barbaric in nature. It is critical that the international community emphatically demand an end to this violence.

“The UN Security Council must step up and make hard decisions in order to resolve the entrenched conflict in Syria,” Mr McCully says.

New Zealand has been a strong supporter of international action to resolve the crisis, providing six New Zealand Defence Force personnel to the UN Supervision Mission in Syria.