Arab League Gives Syria 3 Days to Accept Observers
The Arab League on Wednesday gave the Syrian regime three days to halt months of deadly violence against its people or face economic sanctions, Qatar's prime minister said.
The 22-member League is "giving the Syrian government three days to stop the bloody repression" of its civilian population, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani told a press conference after a meeting of member states in Rabat.
"But if Damascus does not agree to cooperate with the League, sanctions will be adopted against Syria," he said, when asked whether the League would slap sanctions on Damascus if it did not abide by the three-day deadline to sign a protocol on sending a team of Arab observers to Syria to monitor the situation on the ground.
He said that Arab patience was running out with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad after a bloody crackdown against demonstrators that has killed over 3,500 people since March according to the United Nations.
"I don't want to speak about last chances so (the regime) doesn't think it is being given an ultimatum but we are almost at the end of the line," he said.
"The Syrian government must agree to Arab League decisions and stop the bloodbath in Syria," he said. "We do not interfere in Syria's internal affairs ... but the bloodbath must be stopped."
Syria was suspended by the League at the weekend, and refused to turn up at the meeting, which was also attended by Turkey, its northern neighbor.
In a statement after what was labeled the Turkish-Arab cooperation forum, ministers declared they were "against all foreign intervention" but said it was time for urgent measures.
"The forum declares that it is necessary to stop the bloodshed and to spare Syrian citizens from new acts of violence and killing, and demands that urgent measures are taken to ensure the protection of civilians," a statement said.
"Ministers also stressed the importance of Syria's stability and unity and the need to find a resolution to the crisis without any foreign intervention," it added.
Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi said "everything must be done to stop the ongoing bloodshed in Syria."
He said he hoped Arab moves to send observers to Syria would bear fruit within days, but reiterated that no observers would be sent before a clear agreement is signed.
The pan-Arab body had agreed to send 500 members of human rights groups, media representatives and military observers to Syria, which said it would welcome them to see the situation on the ground and help implement the peace deal.
As the ministers met, pro-Assad protesters attacked the Moroccan and UAE embassies in Damascus, officials said.
Turkey, once a close ally of Syria, has become increasingly outspoken in its criticism of Assad's regime since the uprising began.
"The cost for the Syrian administration of not fulfilling the promises it made to the Arab League is its isolation in the Arab world as well," Ahmet Davutoglu told his Arab counterparts.
"It is not possible for any administration to win the fight against its own people," he added.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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