No peace in the Middle East without Syria: British minister

British State Minister for the Middle Eastern Affairs, Kim Howells, on Monday said that "peace can't be achieved in the Middle East without Syria."

"No one can ignore Syria's effective role in the region... how will we talk about a Middle East that enjoys security and stability without Syria.." Minister Howells added during a meeting with the Syrian Media Center in London.

On the Syrian- British relations, Howells underlined that, "his country will not turn its back on Syria."

The British State Minister recently assumed the portfolio of the Middle East department at the British Foreign Ministry within the government of the British Premier Tony Blair succeeding the former British Minister Baroness Simons.