Syria Agrees to Arab Protocol, Says Deal Doesn't 'Infringe Sovereignty'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syria finally gave its agreement Monday to an Arab observer mission to monitor a deal to end nine months of bloodshed, ending weeks of prevarication that had prompted the Arab League to adopt sanctions.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Maqdad and Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ahmed Ben Helli inked the document at League headquarters in Cairo, an Agence France Presse correspondent reported.
Speaking at a news conference in Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said that Syria had only signed up to the deal after making sure it did not infringe its sovereignty.
He said the deal was an initial period of one month, renewable with the agreement of both sides.
"Signing the protocol is the start of cooperation with the Arab League and we will welcome the observers' mission from the Arab League," he said.
"Sovereignty is protected in the text of the protocol," he added.
"Article 8 of the Arab League charter protects existing structures and bans countries from interfering... In this protocol we are talking about protecting civilians from terrorist groups."
Syria has consistently rejected the view of Western governments and human rights groups that the protests in the country have been overwhelmingly peaceful, insisting that they are the work of armed groups.
Muallem said that he expected the observer mission to vindicate the regime's position that the government has been battling an armed rebellion.
"There are many countries in the world who don't wish to admit the presence of terrorist armed groups in Syria." he said.
"They will come and see that they are present... We must not be afraid at all."
The foreign minister said that Syria's Cold War ally Russia, which in October used its Security Council veto to block a resolution that would have threatened "targeted measures" against regime figures, had backed the observer mission.
"Russia's position is clear, they advised Syria to sign the protocol and we implemented that," he said.
He insisted that the regime was sincere in its promises of reform.
"We want to emerge from this crisis and build a safe, modern Syria, a Syria that will be a model of democracy." he said.
"We want a political solution to this crisis in order to emerge from it in the best way possible."
The 22-member Arab bloc had been trying to persuade Damascus to accept the observer mission for weeks.
Under the terms of the deal that the observers are intended to oversee, Syrian security forces are required to pull back from the towns and villages that have been at the center of nine straight months of protests and open negotiations with the opposition under League auspices.
On November 27, the bloc approved a raft of sanctions against Syria for failing to heed an ultimatum to admit the observers, including suspension from its meetings.
Earlier this month, Syria finally said it would allow in the mission, but laid down a number of conditions, including the lifting of sanctions.
19 December 2011, 14:25
312
The regime bought itself some time.
It will try now to liquidate secretly its oponnents and to spread sectarian discord in the hopes of reviving its relevance.
Assad has no choice other than negotiating his exit because all his old tricks will not work anymore.
19 December 2011, 16:09
33
Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be lucky enough to see the collapse of this regime. They have learned from what happened in Egypt and Libya. I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see how they will fall. It's going to take a long time and I'm not sure the great people of Syria can outlast them. They are being killed by the dozens every day. At some point, I fear the Syrian people will be broken by the regime...I hope to God this is not the case but I'm worried. May God be with the Syrian people and may the regime feel his wrath.
19 December 2011, 16:28
13
This means nothing. The Assad Regime will do whatever, lie, kill, cheat, anything to survive. They have accepted this protocol because they were "instructed" by Russia to do so. Russia's veto is one of the last things left that keeps Assad from a UN Tribunal that would try him for war crimes against humanity.
When faced with consenting to an Arab League protocol, or the gallows, he chose the Arab League. When the pressue is off, he will say that he agrees to the protocol in principle. He will say anything, but will do nothing. This is the modus operadi of this regime and there is no reason to expect anything different from it.
19 December 2011, 16:46
12
Let's see.....Russia just made a deal to get into the WTO, and now Syria has totally changed its mind on foreign observers. Hmmmm.....Syria got sold somehow.
19 December 2011, 19:13
03
Admitting that since March "Syria" (e.g. Assads Gang) is being tormented by terrorists in arms means admitting that an entity such Assads Gang's ruling for decades by sole Security militias and violence, is indeed a failing "State", incapable of restoring order and stability. Therefore it has to be replaced. International affairs hate vacuum and have no pity for the weak.
19 December 2011, 19:36
15
"We want to emerge from this crisis and build a safe, modern Syria, a Syria that will be a model of democracy." he said.
that was what bashar promised when he took power... what did he do since ? nothing!
i guess it means they will hold free democratic elections with foreign observers and will allow an true opposition not a one under their control!
19 December 2011, 19:38
14
"There are many countries in the world who don't wish to admit the presence of terrorist armed groups in Syria." he said.
he is talking about the shabbiha and the syrian army...
19 December 2011, 20:02
11
Poor fellows those observers, everyone remember how the Syrian army's rockets tried to murder the Arab envoys in Lebanon during Aoun's war of liberation.
19 December 2011, 20:35
10
"Prevarication" means "lying". AFP knows where it stands. Do you? Let me add that standing on truth is safer. It's more stable.
19 December 2011, 21:29
03
We had to contend with this Syrian regime for over thirty years and it was always all ABOUT LYING.and ABOUT KILLING.
19 December 2011, 21:48
03
mowaten, today the free syrian army heroes killed 72 of your Assad thugs. Was south lebanon freed with hugs and kisses???!? grow up or tuqq moot your choice.. bashar is history, quit believing everything nasralah says, he is a man of religion not a scholar of history/politics.
19 December 2011, 21:51
01
This move will buy the regime a month give or take, the end game is the same: bashar is finished and i hope ya rab he stays stupid and stubborn so he gets dragged from his castle come this summer.. we are patient.. matter of time :)
19 December 2011, 22:01
14
mowaten, those 7 "policemen" in Deraa were killed before or after they tortured and murdered the children?
20 December 2011, 02:17
22
Everyone in here seems to take for one side or another. Some are accusing the Syrian regime of killings. So, how many Iraqis died because of the US invasion? How many Libyans got killed with the NATO invasion? Being a soldier is a job. Unfortunately some people have families to feed and they can't afford resigning. A soldier receives orders and execute. Who is to be accountable for all the killings and chaos created with wars in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq and now maybe Syria? Yeah, let's face it! If justice is one sided, it's not justice. Assad ain't innocent, but the true matter is that all are not innocent either! So, life is unfair and try to live with it! No one cares about democracy in the entire world unless there is a financial interest - afghanistan, libya and iraq are gold mines! Thats why it happened! Funny isn't it? Stop being fooled and live your life!
20 December 2011, 03:47
11
Who is this fool observer going to a terrorist country to be killed? they better have 1 billion life insurance per observer. They just tried to bomb the UN in South Lebanon...How many times you have to repeat yourself that if you do not agree with their ideology they will erase you by a car bomb, an assassination.
20 December 2011, 05:07
21
Robbie,all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.How many natives did the US kill in America and how many Indians did the Brits kill during the Raj,would you give Hitler or Stalin the right to do what they did unopposed.OK, how many "non believers" did the prophet and his followers murder while speeding Islam,who care,does it matter?Funny how idiots start counting only when anti western despots're in trouble. Non of the "peace loving" hippies told a Pol Pot busy with his killing fields to "give peace a chance". As long as you're counting Iraqis how many of them did the terrorists sent by Bashar kill? When murdering regimes are killing their people raise your voice,when the Syrian rockets where raining on Beirut the last thing people on the receiving end of those rockets talked about was justice or democracy we just wanted anyone to intervene and stop the slaughter Bashar's dad did so well.Ideologues are fools and you have illustrated that so well.
20 December 2011, 08:09
01
7aka badri... btw this is gona be the most short lived peace treaty ever, ill give it 3 weeks and the whole file would be transfered to the UN security council: the killings will increase under the nose of the "observers" (of course they wont be allowed anywhere near the killing fields for their own "safety") and as a result the Arab league would be pretty much involved participant in the atrocities and would have to get much tougher.
